The Slave
by K.M.Benidir2012
Summary: Loki falls from Asgard and into the hands of the Chitauri where he meets Neris, a slave to the Chitauri with no home of her own. Loki schemes for his own freedom, but will he grant hers? A story about pain and suffering, but also one about compassion and love. Rating T-M with M parts labeled. Loki x OC
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Chitauri, Loki, Asgard, etc belongs to Marvel.**

**Neris, Tals Vegar, Migam, Caelandis, Caela, all stuff I made up.**

**I earn no profit for this. I encourage you all to write me a review.**

Chapter 1

Noise filled the stench of air, there was never silence in the slum of Tals Vegar. Fancy as the name was, few knew of it, it was the dump of the Chitauri. The scum of the Chitauri army resided in this mess of a place. It hadn't always been so, once upon a time, her world had been here. Caelandis, home of the tree sprites. Gone. All gone.

They destroyed her beautiful world, enslaved her kin, and threw her from the her station to a lowly rank of a _toy_. What they did to the royal family made her shudder, she prayed their end was met quickly. She hoped her princess, her queen had not ended like her, but she knew this hope was futile. At least they were dead now. Would she be next?

"Skelk, get up." The raspy order of the Chitauri nearly made her jump, but such a display was forbidden. Crushing was her enslavement, she waited for the strike, none came.

_Ask no questions. Keep your gaze down. Do as he says._

Her present master stood above her, covered in filth, the neglect of his uniform, obvious. Before him, her previous master made her clean their uniforms, polish the metal, and clear their weapons. Another Caela died from a weapon's miss fire. The memory was horrible, Neris could never shake it. Of course, all Caela had been mercilessly beaten for her Caela brother's careless mistake. But as least he was dead, no pain could touch him.

Neris was careful with every action she took. It wasn't that she did not want to die, she yearn for death, but a part of her told her to keep going. Break free and rescue her people. But where would they go when their home no longer existed? Lots of worlds had trees and rivers, mountains and oceans, all wishing a Caela would awaken them.

"Skelk, come. You leave for V-10. Your new master waits. Migam."

Neris nearly fainted. The torture wing. It was closer to the heart of the Chitauri empire, and frightfully scary. Would she meet 'The Other'? Thanos? She thought her heart would burst there, but the pain emanated from her face instead, and she found herself on the floor once more.

"Skelk, you rise when told, you do as your told. You do not think, you do not hope." Her former master reminded her of the truth of her life. There is no freedom, no freedom to hope or fear. She was subjugated to mindless obedience.

_Show nothing, accept your punishment. You will die soon. Thanos loves death, that is what they say. It will end for me._

"The transport will take you. Get gone, filth."

Neris raced from her master, taking only the ragged garments he had given her. Her rosy skin was covered in dirt and grime, but she did not mind, it made her less noticeable. If only she could hide her eyes, then they wouldn't think she was Caela. Once, her master had struck her so hard and so many times in the face that her eyes swelled shut for weeks. It did little to hide her status, it just meant she did not have to see which Chitauri soldier violated her.

When she reached the transport, she took as mask from a fellow Caela, a mask that would allow her to breath on the Chitauri transport through space. Her Caela sister was one she did not know, and older one. She would have been revered in their world for her wisdom. She was thousands of years old, a monument to the dawn of the Caela.

The old Caela said nothing to Neris as the girl boarded the Chitauri transport. Purple eyes filled with tears as she watched the girl go. Joyful had the old woman's life been in youth, now, it was filled with misery. The young Caela suffered far worse, they would forget their world in the end.

Transports moved quickly with strange technology Neris could not even begin to understand. She waited, thinking of the old woman. The tattoos of her high status had been forcibly removed and the scarring was terrifying, but Neris had her own disfigurements to show. All Caela had the long, pointed tips of their ears removed, and all tattoos cut out of their rosy skin. Her 'Heart of the Forest' markings had been cut roughly from her shoulder and bicep. Watching it leave her hurt more that the cut itself. The marking symbolized her love of the trees and the core of her world.

All of it was gone, she could do nothing except remember the markings and remember the voices of the trees.

"Skelk! Come!" Her new master waited at the base of the transport landing. Scars and burns ran the length of his face. Serpent like eyes watched as she quickly descended the landing. She dropped to his feet in prostration. "You serve me. Lay down!"

Neris quickly spread herself on the floor. Her belly pressed the grated floor. He meant to beat her then and there. Fortunately, there weren't as many spectators; the Chitauri loved the violence. It was brutal, an reminder that she was nothing in the end. With each painful blow, her new master, a creature known by the name of Migam, tore down any hope she had of being treated with dignity or respect.

The pain in her head was phenomenal. She had been beaten so many times, the wounds molded together, but this time, the injury was so poignant. Her eyes slowly peeled open, her vision was hazy. She hung from chains, her clothes were gone, inwardly she mourned that she still lived.

A voice spoke near her, the voice of her new master. She turned her head and quickly realized that blood was trickling down her face. She was not alone with her master, but she knew the other person would not hurt her. He was chained up like her. He was half naked, only half shamed. Red blood contrasted with the pale skin of his chest. The man was not Caela, he was something strange to her.

"King Loki," mocked her master, "welcome to the Chitauri army. Now, tell us of Asgard."

Neris strained to hear, the blood pooled in her ears. Her eyes searched the man, his form becoming clearer. His green eyes gazed defiantly past her and his tormentor. He said nothing. Neris felt her mind go hazy again, losing herself to the darkness. The sound of chains striking flesh lulled her to sleep.

**I noticed that many of you are not continuing on with the other chapters. So, that said, what can I do to make this story more interesting? Is it the overall theme? The characters? My style? I promise I won't be offended, but I will be very delighted that you took time out of your day to review. Thank you!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for coming back! This chapter is clean, and the next will be as well.**

**Disclaimer: Loki, Chitauri, allusion to the Tesseract, all MARVEL**

**Neris, Caela, Caelandis, and her situation were made. I receive no money for this and write purely for pleasure and as a break from my novel when it annoys me.**

Chapter 2

Loki watched as the creatures pace the chamber around him. The pain in his sternum burned, a rib was broken, but that was the least of his problems. How would he be free of this place? What did they want? More importantly, what did he want? Vengeance. Everything he did, none of it impressed Odin. Pretender, liar, those terms are meant for Odin, not him.

Rage blinded Loki, burning worse than his wounds. He would destroy Odin, nothing will stop him.

"What do you have planned for today, monster?" Loki called out with a pained laugh. He lifted his chin as his torture approached.

"Skelk! Bring me the _Scour_. Laugh all you want, princeling." Migam draw his long arm across Loki's face, cutting his face.

Chitauri flesh was bound to machine and metal, they had primitive needs like food and sleep, but they were eager to be one with the machines that operated every aspect of their lives.

Loki quickly recovered to witness the strange girl staring at him so oddly. She ran to her master, stumbling over the ill fitting skirt she wore. No, it was no skirt, it was a sack tied at her waist with a ruined run of wires. She straightened immediately as if nothing had happened and held a box out to his torture. The skelk kept her eyes on the ground, but shuddered in fear as her master pulled out a simple looking rod.

"Tired of using your arm?" Loki mocked. The girl gasped and was promptly reprimanded by her master. Loki watched as the pinkish creature faded into the background. He momentarily wondered what she was thinking. Brief were his thoughts as his mind went blank.

Neris watched in horror as the rod was pressed to the prisoner's face. His flesh instantly turned blue and his red eyes snapped shut against the agony he felt. Even as Migam said it, she knew it, she had seen his kind before. He wasn't an Asgardian, he was a Jotun. They were rare in these parts, she had only ever known one. The rod was calculated to burn those whose had high tolerance for the cold, it targeted them. The rod burned flesh from bone, and the Jotun who died in that manner suffered endlessly until the sweet respite of death came. But that had been long ago.

Migam pulled the rod away, giving the prisoner a chance to breathe. "Loki of Jotunheim! Ha! Not a prince, but a disgrace. The slaves are better than you! Skelk! Clean him."

Neris rushed to do as she was told. Loki moaned and cried at her touch. His skin slowly turned pale as she wiped away the blood. Once she finished, she ran from him, back to the shadows. She watched as Migam pressed the rod against Loki's head and then to his chest and then to his chin. Loki could not control his screams as his skin turned blue once more. With each place Migam touched, Loki's skin went from blue to black and cracked painfully. His flesh was burnt and charred.

For hours Neris watched as Migam broke the man's flesh. She repeatedly wiped away the blood before hurrying back to her spot. If only they would kill him and end the suffering! But the Chitauri spoke to each other, the man was useful, break him first, kill him later. At length, Migam ceased his punishment and ordered Neris and another Caela to carry Loki to a prison cell. Her brother Caela said nothing to her nor she to him. They were forbidden to speak to one another, any attempt would result in punishment worse than what they presently endured.

Her brother Caela left, glancing sadly at her as she locked Loki away. His tribal rank was burned away instead of being sliced off. His great blue orbs filled with tears, but he quickly looked away from her and his lanky figure disappeared to find his own master.

Neris could not linger near Loki's cell, Migam could not be kept waiting and she feared the Chitauri guards worse than her master. Upon returning to Migam, Neris discovered that she was permitted to roam the halls and eat more that her usual allotment. Graciously, she dropped to her knees at her master's feet and cried thanks to him. Migam pushed her roughly away before smacking her across the face. She ignored the blood in her mouth, she happy to have pleased him enough for a reward.

Migam left Neris on the floor of his torture chamber and disappeared to his next job. Pulling herself from the filthy floor, Neris scanned the room and found a tin plate of bread and a heap of something she could never bring herself to truly wonder what it was. Food, that was all she knew, and when her stomach abused her, she cared nothing except that it would quell the gnawing pain. Greedily, she attacked the tray's contents, never savoring it, never wanting too. She wept, realizing it was gone, before she noticed the second tray.

The heap of mystery tasted the same as the first: equally gross. She saved the bread and tucked it into the sack covering her body. Without hesitating, she fled the bloodstained chamber to where Loki was being kept. Joy filled her as the memory of freedom flooded her veins.

Running through the forests was the simplest of pleasures she yearned for. Pure was the air that had filled her lungs. Her long ears recorded the songs of the trees and wind as they urged her to run faster. On nights when her enslavement overwhelmed her, she thought back to the songs. Voices of the ancient trees filled her heart, they kept her going, kept her hoping.

Blood smeared over her feet as she ran across the grated catwalks leading to the man's cell. Pain never bothered her, nor the sight of blood, sometimes she didn't even feel the new wounds opening. Arriving at Loki's cell she halted. The guard had left for the moment, or maybe the day. Prisoners never escaped, so it never mattered where they were

. Loki lay sprawled on the floor, his breathing was shallow, but Neris could tell he was not asleep or unconscious. He was_ thinking_.

"Here," she whispered. The bread she saved was now in her outstretched hand. She was crouched low on the ground so that he would not have to move much. Her slender, pinkish arm reached into his cell. "Take it."

Slowly, Loki opened his eyes and looked at her. Almond shaped and amethyst in color, her eyes were bright as she pleaded with him to take the morsel. Rosy flesh stretched towards him. Odd, his mother had never talked of such creatures before. What was she?

"No."

"Please? It may be all that you get for a long time. Take it." Neris was filled with sorrow. She seldom spoke with anyone, another Caela was forbidden, and the Chitauri were never to be addressed first. But a prisoner was something else; she was free to speak to him, he was nothing in truth.

The girl pushed back her dark tresses, revealing her disfigured ears. She continued to offer the bread to him.

"Skelk, is it?" he asked watching her every move.

Instantly, the bread was withdrawn from him. she shrank against the back wall. "I have a name, prisoner!" Her voice was heated, but her body trembled in fear. _He is not your master or Chitauri, he is nothing._

He admired the gaul of the girl even as she feared him. "What is it, then, slave?"

"N-Neris. Do not call me Skelk."

She was defiant and stupid. He would do worse to her than their captors once he broke free. How to do this was still a problem. "Neris, what do these creatures want from me?"

She crawled back to him and offered the bread once more. Loki took it just to get her to stop shoving it at him. "They think you can give them something. Something he wants. Asgard has one thing, and that tiny world of humans has the other, I think." She smiled at him, delighted to relay the information.

Loki's mind set to work. He knew what they wanted and what they needed and he had his escape. "Thank you, Neris." He turned away from her, smiling, an odd thing to do after the torment he endured, but that would change soon. Neris watched him curiously.

"Are you mental?" she asked.

Annoyed, he answered. "Most likely. What are you?"

The girl took hold of the prison bars and pressed her face through as far as she could. "I am Caela, from the Tribe of Trees. My world was Caelandis, the most beautiful place in the entire universe!"

Asgard was beautiful, but he did not say it. "What happened to it?"

Neris slumped into a heap on the floor. Tears fell from her eyes as she spoke. "The Chitauri came and took us. They broke apart out mountains and rocks for their ships. Our pure waters power the mothership. Caelandis was ripped apart and destroyed. Tals Vegar, where I was before this, occupies the space that once was Caelandis."

She moaned in rage. "I cannot imagine it. Destroying a whole world simply because you can."

Loki swallowed the lump in his throat. No point in confessing that that was the reason he ended up in this dump in the first place. "I am so sorry."

Her rosy hand reached for his, he stared at it for a moment before taking it. "Thank you. What is your name?"

He scoffed, knowing full well that she knew his name and where he was from, but he indulged her. The whelp would be useful in the future. "Loki. I am a king. I was, I suppose."

Neris squeezed his hand reassuringly. "And you will be again!"


	3. Chapter 3

**You're back! As I said before, this chapter is clean. The next chapter will feature a steamy scene at the end.**

**Disclaimer: Do not own Loki, the Chitauri, the tesseract, or The Other.**

**Again, I earn nothing for this. Please comment.**

Chapter 3

For days her master beat and burned Loki while she watched, unable to do anything other than what she was instructed to do. When dictated to, she would wipe the blood from his face and body. Those moments were precious Neris, it was her chance to whisper words of encouragement to Loki. In a hushed voice she would tell him to be strong, that he was a king and he had to keep going. He would say nothing, he only watch as she worked away the grime.

Their ritual went on for days, Loki's torment was constant. They were breaking his mind, penetrating his weaknesses. Neris always stood nearby to do her part. Exhaustion snuck up on her, and more than once she caught herself about to fall over. When her head grew foggy, she let it drift off, only to be woken once more when Loki managed a scream or when her master called for her.

"Skelk, take this," hissed her master. He held the Scour out to her.

Her eyes went wide. Was he finished? But she knew what was coming, it was the worst part of her enslavement for she could endure all the other parts, save this one. She took the rod into her rosy hands and waited for her orders. If there had been food in her stomach she was sure it would have surfaced, but it was empty. Regrettably, acid was so much worse than the food than the food coming up.

"Touch him with the Scour. His left shoulder."

"Yes, master." _No! Don't do it!_ Her heart broke as she inched closer and closer to him. It would be so much worse if she didn't. Every Caela in V-10 would be executed because of her, their cries would burn in her mind, like the others from the first time. Loki would still be tortured and then they would know that she cared for him.

With the rod in hand, Neris prepared herself for the villainy of her actions. The metal hovered just above his bruised shoulder. His green eyes glared at her with a piercing rage. She quaked beneath the harshness, but still, the rod inched closer to the Jotun born flesh. Red. Her hand and arm were a dark, diseased sort of red. She cried out in horror. Harm against another living being went against her nature. The truth of the color change was that she cared deeply for the person she was about to harm. That was true pain.

Neris fought her tears and the disgust she had for herself. Her arm would remain red forever just to save her people from the Chitauri. _Do it. Loki is no one. Don't let the others die!_

"I'm sorry."

The rod fell from her hand and to the floor. She could have died of happiness when Loki looked upon her with relief. But her joy ended quickly when she remembered what came next. The roar of her master caused her to lose control of her body and the shame of her fear ran down her leg.

"Skelk! Filth! Abomination! Abhorrence!" Migam charged for the Scour, he grasped it and slammed into the back of Loki's head. Neris shrank back but was quickly snatched and thrown to the floor. In the next moment all she knew was pain as blow after blow was laid upon her. Blood ooze from her head and nose. The bones in her fingers cracked like chips. If felt like hours, or days, she could not tell, that this went on. She choked on her sobs and pleads for mercy, but nothing but pain was given.

Migam beat her until her world went dark before kicking her until he grew borde. The Caela was left in a swollen, bloody heap for days; her nurse was the only other Caela left alive in V-10, all the others were then executed.

When Neris finally woke, her mind was filled with her Caela brothers and sisters begging to be spared before their savage murder. Their death for a man, no pain was worse, none except the pain she would have endured if she had burned Loki. She couldn't do it, her people understood.

Loki, wearing his full regalia, swayed on his feet despite his efforts to seem at ease. He had purpose now, a goal, a vision, a destination. "I know where it is and how to get it."

"We are listening," informed The Other. The mysterious, hooded Chitauri represented a destructive and cruel master, one seeking dominion over all the universe, over life and death. The Chitauri feared the master and his slave and the Caela prayed for a swift death so as to never meet either.

"Ah, but I have a few simple requests. In exchange for the tesseract, you give me an army to subdue the world of mortals where I may ascend to my rightful place as their ruler." Loki smirked as he said this. "I will also require an assistant and an assortment of devices to open the tesseract's portal. Deal?"

"Bring it to us, then Earth is yours. Do with that primitive people what you will. But be warned _King_ Loki, your failure will bring about a most agonizing death and. . . afterlife." The Other then grabbed Loki's head.

His mind seared with pain, everything was coming undone. His brother ruined everything! His father lied, betrayed him! That _monster_ was his true father! And thrown away like garbage was he, tossed to his anticipated death. Every bitter memory surfaced, every ounce of rage Loki felt ran anew.

"Your focus. Do not fail." The Other left Loki on the floor, panting in agony.

Slowly, Loki stood back on his feet. His mind felt as though it had been split in half. "What happened to me!" He snapped.

His torturer stood off to the side, enjoying the spectacle Loki displayed. A voice of merged, mechanical droning replied. "He expanded your mind. My slave is awake. She is yours now. After that filth failed to follow orders, I want nothing but her death." He then burst into laughter. "But, as you saw, her disobedience killed twenty of her people, twenty less filthy skelks. That is more pain than I could ever give her."

Migam then left to his own agenda. Tired and annoyed, Loki stumbled through V-10 to his cell, his current home. He fell into darkness, a darkness that would have been welcomed if it hadn't been so short lived. All the memories of Thor's great victories ran through his mind. There was never any room for Loki, just the table scraps.

_"When I'm king, I'll hunt the monsters down and slay them all." (1)_

_Slay. Them. All._

"Master, please wake up." Meek was the voice that woke him, and even meeker was the touch that followed.

Loki peeled open his eyes to see Neris jump from him in shock. Had he the energy, he would have done the same. Her face was swollen, black and blue, purple and green, it pained him to look at her. Bruises ran down her bare arms and the sack that hid her body hid the rest of the damage. Bandages were wrapped poorly around her hand which she held close to her stomach.

"You look horrible, Neris. Why are you calling me master?"

"Migam gave me to you. I am your slave now. Skelk is what we are called by our masters. I have no name now." Tears pooled around her purple eyes. "They have given you quarters of your own, so that you can do your work. Let me show you, please, master?"

She held out her good hand for him to take. When he did nothing, she removed her hand, the look of dejection flowered over the bruises on her face. "I understand. Forgive me, master. I swear, I shall never touch you again." She dropped to her knees, wincing as she did so.

"Neris, you will always be "Neris" with me. I will call you "Skelk" around them, but with me, you will have your name. Give me your hand." All this she endured because of him. She could have betrayed him and he would have made her suffer for it, but she chose to spare him. Beaten within an inch of her life, her people murdered, all for him. She was the only person he could trust.

The Caela moved timidly as she presented her injured hand. With great care, Loki removed the wrappings. Her fingers were grossly broken. The pain she must be in! It was amazing she was conscious! The Caela looking after her did nothing but cover the injury. Neris wept as quietly as she could while he turned her hand in all directions. With one hand, he placed below hers and the other, above. Green light flowed between his hands. Neris gasped loudly.

"What?" she asked, perplexed that her fingers were snapping back into place. The pain was gone and she felt as though she could breathe again. Once the light faded, however, the pain returned.

"It is the best I can do for now," said Loki, winded as if he had run a marathon. "I'm not strong enough. It will hurt for a while, but it shall fade."

Her eyes grew bright with joy. "Thank you, master! If you will please, I can help you now." Neris helped Loki to his feet and led him to his new room. Two Chitauri guards stood at the entrance, they allowed the two to pass. From one prison to another, but this one had a shower and a bed. It was a filthy room, filled with what he would consider to be space junk and dingy mirror. The former occupant had not stepped into this room in many years, and never would again.

Neris placed Loki upon the bed and carefully removed his regalia before finding a space upon the floor to rest her weary bones.

**(1) Quote taken from "Thor", 2011**


	4. Chapter 4

**Can't stay away can you? But that is great! Welcome back! This chapter features a steamy scene, it's not vulgar, but it is intended for mature readers. I think it is a very tender part. I will mark it with this guy - ***

**Diclaimer: Chitauri, Loki, Selvig, not mine**

**Neris, V-10, V-9, the Caela, all mine**

**Once more, I do not earn anything from this except the delight of knowing my readers are enjoying this story. Please review and follow me on khadijabenidir **

Chapter 4

"Is that what a human looks like?" Neris was astonstonded by the man in the mirror. "He's old, and so pale. How are you doing that, master?"

"Hush, now," said Loki. He approached the mirror and watched the scene. There it was, the cosmic cube. Erik Selvig, one of Thor's newfound friends, was going to be working on the tesseract, perfect. For someone so smart, his mind was wide open to manipulation.

"This mirror is a portal, but not one we can travel through. There is just enough power for me to observe Dr. Selvig's work, and influence him. We need him." He pulled her towards the mirror once more. "Those mortals are the key to our salvation."

He would not have to prepare much, just a portal to mimic the one Selvig would have to build. It would take time, but he could wait, he had so much patience, and oh, how he would be rewarded!

Loki looked at Neris scrutinized her appearance. Her bruises were fading and her body healing, but she still wore that tattered and bloodied sack of a dress her previous master had given her. "We need new clothes. I need armor, different armor, not from Asgard."

Her amethyst eyes stared back at him. "V-9 has what we need, but a Caela cannot ask for passage. You must get us through, master."

He nodded and they soon left for the transport. At the gate stood a huge, red man. Neris trembled behind Loki when she saw the giant. She clung to his cape and whimpered into the fabric. The red man stomped towards them.

"Where are you going with this skelk?" He demanded. His black eyes bore into her as she tried to hide.

"I am taking this sad excuse of a slave to V-9 for clothes that don't smell of her filth. Let us pass, creature." Whatever he was, he would not stand in Loki's way.

The red man nodded and let them through. He handed both masks to wear as they zipped through space to V-9. Neris fought hard not to soil herself as she clung desperately to Loki.

"What is he?" came her master's muffled voice. "Why does he terrify you so?"

"He is a monster! That is what I would have become if I had used the Scour on you. It goes against our nature to hurt others. He hurt his own people, he killed them, the Caela. He is a monster, not a Caela." She wailed and fell to the floor.

Quickly, Loki reprimanded her and demanded she stand once more. He listened patiently while Neris explained the punishment of the Caela. Their hearts were pure and the thought of harming another was non existent in their lives, until the Chitauri arrived. Cruel beyond bounds, the Chitauri took great pleasure in forcing the Caela to torture each other. Some did, the result more horrifying than when they refused. Those that refused endured the death of their loved ones, listening to their heart wrenching cries. Those the agree were shrouded in darkness thereafter.

Neris could still remember the first time she saw it happen. Like her, the Caela's arm turned a sickly red when she held the weapon to the other Caela's throat. The color quickly spread up the Caela's arm as she struck the other, a boy, a simple boy from another tribe. Her sister traded her brother's life for her own tribe. All the Caela loved each other, no Caela was worth the life of another. But if the choice was theirs, they could not take the selfish path, they could not spare their own tribe over the lives of another.

When they tortured, everything thing that made them a Caela, was taken. The girl grew in size as she stole the life of the boy. She enjoyed it, rejoiced in the change of her flesh. Her eyes grew black and empty. Neris remembered the Caela asking for more to kill. Her tribe wailed in agony.

"You see, master, how horrible he is. Like her, that Ca- monster murdered one of us to try to save himself. The girl's family was killed anyway. . . by her hand too. My people did not die in vain when I refused to hurt you. They died proud, proud that I did not devolve into such a nightmare. If you lose yourself trying to do good, are you really doing good?"

Loki swallowed his feelings and spoke plainly to this enigmatic creature before him. "You are good, and pure. I saw them die, I hear their screams as well."

Neris frowned to herself as she listened to Loki. Her body had been hung in the torture chamber for her people to see. She was the reason they were dying. Each of her people were made to witness the horrid death of the others. They cried out in pain, but they also thanked her unconscious form. At these words, Neris recoiled. Why would they thank her for getting them killed?_ Oh, right. Death is freedom._

But Loki explained it differently. They thanked her for remaining true to the Caela. Happy were they to die for her; their screams were simply the result of the method of slaughter. His words did little to ease the guilt Neris felt.

"They were honored by your actions, saddened by your suffering, but very proud of your sacrifice. Their final words were that you would liberate the Caela," he recalled.

"How? We are slaves now, and those that change can never return. Where would we go?"

The transport finally came to a halt at V-9. Loki exited first, passing his mask to an old Caela, he waited for Neris to do the same. She glanced at the elder Caela man, and Loki watched as she quickly and discreetly pressed her hand to his pinkish face.

They continued on their way, saying nothing to each other. It was improper for a master to converse with his slave. He only gave orders and she was meant to obey without hesitation. Neris was taken to a corridor where her fellow slaves cleaned her and discarded her sack dress. Standing naked, she observed her body in a filthy mirror. Her rosy skin was finally clean, but she could see that the bruises were smaller and paler. Dark hair fell to her shoulders in waves. It was thick and coarse, but finally clean. Loki watched as she took delight in her appearance. Strange and foreign as she was to him, he couldn't help but find her appealing.

How long had it been since she last bathed? Far too long, he was sure and he knew she would not get such treatment as this for a long time, and neither would he. Loki instructed the Caela to braid Neris' hair so that she would not play with it, and then he disappeared.

The water felt great over his skin, he watched as dried blood fled him. The Caela said nothing as they tended to him. They were careful of his sex, almost fearful that he would force himself on one of them. Did the Chitauri's depravity know no bounds? They were true monsters, true terrors.

Once cleaned, Loki joined Neris as they pick through leather, metal, cloth, and armor. He magicked both his clothing as well as hers. His olive green slacks gave way to black leather pants. Miraculously, another outfit appeared, and he made a point of expressing what an accomplished sorcerer he was. He worked quickly and in no time he had a whole new wardrobe, all of which was magicked into a world Neris would never know.

Loki then garnished her with her own wardrobe that mimicked his clothing. Her tunic was green, reinforced with overlapping black leather. Upon her breast plate was a golden torc to match his own, the Chitauri and the subsequent mortals of Midgard would know that she was his. She was his property.

Before they left, Loki showed her a few simple tricks to calling her own regalia to her or making it disappear. With a new array of clothing, they left to return to V-10. They would make a statement when they arrived in Midgard, when he took the planet. He would rise as their king and she would lead the mortals in subjugation, his rule would be absolute.

In their room in V-10, Neris stood by the mirror, but saw only her pinkish face and purple eyes staring back at her. Her braids revealed her mutilated ears, her once beautiful ears cut away by crude blades. She felt ugly and unnatural.

"Where did the man go, master?" She asked, suppressing the tears of her loss.

Moving behind her, Loki answered her question. "He is gone for now. It will take time, are you able to wait?"

She nodded and turned to face him. Slowly, she grew closer to him. "Master, there is something we must do." Neris hesitated, would he want her? Did it matter? Her other masters just forced her, she never wondered if they wanted her, but then she never wanted any of them. "You must claim."

Loki stepped back. A look of hurt appeared on Neris' face, but it quickly disappeared in unwavering obedience. "Claim you?"

"Yes. We must. . . have sex. . . or I return to Migam. He'll likely kill me."

"Is that what you want?" He asked.

"Right now?" She asked, drawing close to him once more. This time, though, he held his ground. "No. I want to stay with you."

He stared at her for a long while. "Go to the bed." Hurt appeared on her face once more. She did not protest, but hung her head as she did what she was told. Loki did not turn to see her sit on the bed, but he heard her start to remove her garments.

"Neris, what are you doing?"

Startled, she stopped. "You gave me such nice things, I did not want them destroyed. I can keep them on if you prefer?"

"Sweet Neris, do you trust me?" Hesitantly, she nodded. "I must ask you this. Will you kneel before me and accept me as your king? Will you pledge fealty to me for all time? Do you accept me?"

Without thinking, she dropped to her knees with the bed behind her and cried that she did accept him. "What words of loyalty do you wish me to say?"

He walked forward, to her. "I am not your master. We have not consummated that bond, so you are still Migam's property. You are not required to follow my orders. Answer me honestly, please?"

Stunned, her jaw hung open. "Loki, you are my king. You were the day I met you. As for fealty, all the pain I have suffered, my death, would be better than if I betray you, my king. . . my friend."

Relief flooded Loki. He held his hand out to her. Her natural wariness made her slow to accept it, but when she did, he helped her to her feet. Once again, he told her to get into the bed, this time she went without reluctance. As she laid herself against the mattress, she was shocked to find that the sheets were not the tattered rags they usually were, but soft, beautiful, clean sheets. More shocking was that she felt the fabric so clearly. No longer in her leather, she now wore a plain grey night gown. She examined herself, her pinkish legs protruded from the grey hem. At the end of her pinkish legs were calloused and bruised feet, two to be exact, she wanted nothing more than her boots back to conceal the unpleasantness of them.

"Your feet are fine, Neris. Go to sleep, my pink one. Rest, my pink rose."

"Peony. I am like a pink peony. Will you join me, my king?" She smiled as she said the words.

"In a moment, my little peony."

Neris fell asleep in an instant. Beds were so foreign to her, but they were soft, better than the grates jabbing her back or sides. She pretended to be in a hammock, swaying in the tree canopy, with the wind whispering stories to her. Loki pervaded her mind, his smile, his real smile, greeted her often in the dreams. He was her liberator, her peoples' liberator. She never wanted the dream to end.

*** **A warm breath graze her neck, but her legs felt cold. A hand shifted her stray hairs from her face. With his other hand he touched her leg while his lips touched her cheek. Her eyes snapped open. Loki stared at her while his hand caressed her thigh.

"Don't be afraid, Neris. I will not hurt you." He bent to kiss her, she froze in fear but willed herself to remain still and let him do as he pleased. "I will not force you, although, I could. Neris, do you want me?"

He kissed her forehead and continued caressing her leg.

"Yes, master." She was nearly in tears, she expected pain and abuse. She expected nothing but anguish, and she accepted these things as her fate. Her words twisted a rage in Loki. This would not do.

"Say my name!" He hissed. Panic filled her. "When we are intimate, you say my name. You scream it! Rejoice in it!"

"Yes, Loki. I'm sorry, Loki." She bit her lip, he would beat her for this, she was sure. She felt his hand slide to her stomach, revealing more of her as a result. He caressed her flesh, she hated that she responded with shivers of delight.

"I will not hurt you. You have pledged loyalty to me and I made a promise to you. Do you want this?" His voice was calm, no emotion apparent, except that he spoke the truth, something she knew he did not do often. She relaxed, perhaps he was her dream Loki.

Neris gazed into his eyes, green and blue, the power of the Chitauri fighting in him. She missed the pure greenness of his orbs. Blue was nice as well, but she knew it wasn't him entirely."Yes, Loki. Take me, _Loki._I do want you, let me be yours forever."

His lips took hers and she found herself responding awkwardly. Her family members were the only people she had kissed and the Chitauri would never do something so soothing. They were beasts at the heart of it. His lips were soft and encouraging. His hand move from her stomach and between her thighs. Gently, he used his fingers spread her inner regions apart. Her body was slowly responding to him, he pressed and massaged to stimulate her before plunging his fingers into her channel. He went slowly, watching her reaction as she adjusted to him. He felt her relax; his rhythm intensified and just when she thought she would explode, he pulled out.

She whimpered. Her body ached with need and mourned his departure. His tenderness was something she had never known. Loki was the kindest lover she ever had. No, he was the only lover she had ever had. The Chitauri were cruel and savage and not in a way she could ever enjoy. They violated her with cruel abandon, but Loki loved her body, cherished it.

"Come back," he instructed softly. His eyes search her amethyst orbs, examining the horror that filled them. He knew she had been forced so many times, he was not the kind to do such a thing. The range of emotions playing on her face were so foreign to him, she was relieved to be with him, delighted to feel his touch.

Loki's body burned hot with anticipation: he would possess this woman in a way she had never known and in a way she would never fear. He let his lips drift down her neck, sucking her flesh in the process. Her gasping drove him further in his need for her, his need to conquer her.

Neris watched him as he spread her legs further to embrace his hips. He asked once more if she wanted him, with the affirmative, he slipped inside over. He filled her up, but her cry was stifled as his lips reclaimed hers. With each thrust, she made a sound so foreign to her, she was not sure that she was the one making it. He continued, becoming more excited with each push. Loki flipped her and twisted her for various access to her most private area, enjoying her struggle to suppress her screams of pleasure. None of the others cared about her, none except him. He enjoyed her, the notion startled her, but she embraced it. All their pain melted as they reached the end, panting and moaning in harmony.

In her mind and in her heart, she pledge fealty to him and undying love to Loki. Before the day started anew, she gave herself eagerly to him once more and savored his feel. For once, she awaited the intimate affairs between slave and master instead of dreading it. She was now his entirely, and for the first time in a long time, she felt at peace.

**Let me know what you thought!**


	5. Chapter 5

**This chapter is clean, and short since the previous one was so long.**

**Disclaimer, I do not own Loki, Chitauri, The Other, or the Tesseract.**

**Also, was watching 'Dr. Who' and they mentioned someone name "Nerys" small world. It was purely coincidence.**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 5

Neris ran down the stairs and into the chamber. With a heft, she threw the wires onto the table. "Is this what you needed, master?"

Loki looked up from his work, he motioned the techs to resume where he left off. Casually, he sifted through the wires she brought. They were good, the best that he could get for now. Having the tesseract would have made things a lot easier.

"You are exhausted, please rest. I will help."

"No, Selvig is getting close. I must be ready. We'll be leaving soon." He appeared angry to her and she gently pressed him for more information. "The portal will be difficult to get through. There is enough energy to get us both through, but only one trip. I don't know if we'll make it."

Taking her hand, Loki led her into their small room, away from the ears of the tech. He held her close and kissed her forehead. Neris spoke quietly into his ear.

"Leave me, then, master. You will make it through the portal. I just ask, that before you go, you end my life." Drops of tears traveled down from the corners of her eyes.

Loki grabbed her arms and squeeze her harshly. "Don't you ever say that again. I give the orders, and you are coming with me."

Sadly, she nodded her understanding. Loki held her face in his hands and stared into her amethyst eyes, losing himself. Ever since their move from V-10 to V-27 Loki was stressed and distracted. He met frequently with The Other to Neris' chagrin, but she could do nothing about it. Diligently, she would wait for him to return from his visits with the strange creature. Sometimes he would return sweaty, with bruises forming, and he would lock himself deep in his own mind. Other times, Neris would watch as he worked for days to ready the portal, those were the days when his temper seemed beyond his control. He would yell at her furiously for being insolent or for simply being there. True to his word, he never hurt her, not physically, but his words were like daggers to her heart at times.

"What do you want me to do, master?"

He sighed and ran his finger down her jawline. "Just be ready for the journey. It will likely hurt. I made a harness for you, it should help. It will be attached to me, but you will still have to hold on to me. When we get there, we will have to keep going, no matter what. Neris, people will die."

"You will kill them?"

"Yes," he replied. "I will not order you to do the same, but remember, they are not your friends and you are not one of them. Now, go get us something to eat."

Neris bowed to Loki and left him behind as she quietly wandered off. She knew it was wrong to have feelings for him, he was her master. Her mind wandered through the months they'd spent together. He taught her so much: magic, machinery, and he told her of worlds beyond her imagination. Eager was she to learn from him, eager to see life beyond the world of the Chitauri beasts. He was becoming her friend and she believed she was becoming his. He could been tender and loving in his display of affection or demanding and controlling. She never knew what she was going to get, but that was Loki, expect the unexpected. No, don't expect anything, just accept it.

V-27 was an empty place for the most part, it was a place reserved for special projects, like the one Loki was working on. Neris seldom saw anyone in V-27, their technicians and a few visitors roamed the area on occasion. It was her playground, though, and she surveyed every inch of the place. Over the months it became a sort of home to her, not that she ever lost focus of her true goals. She was getting out of the world of Chitauri and she would eventually free her people.

Screams sounded from the direction ahead of her. Neris froze instinctively. She listened before breaking into a sprint towards the sound. In her time under Loki's care she honed her courage, Loki would not tolerate her cowering. Her sprint ended quickly and she stopped dead in her tracks. Another scream sounded and she knew it was her own. On the floor before her was a young Caela girl struggling beneath the weight of one of the red Caela traitors. His huge form held the girl down as he violently assaulted the girl. Blood pooled around the girl's legs. She was but a child in the Caela world. The girl cried and clawed to get away, but it was useless when such a creature had her.

"Please! Help me!" She screamed at Neris. In a different situation Neris would have been elated to hear the voice of one of her own once more. The first Caela to speak to her in a long time was now pleading for her life.

"Skelk! Wait your turn, I'll have you both." The monster spoke with a harsh voice, all traces of the Caela he had once been were gone. He looked at Neris with a lecherous hate.

Blinding anger took over Neris and she made to jump the red monster, but as she moved a hand grabbed her and pulled her back.

"Neris, you can do nothing for her, she's dead even if you could stop him."

"No! You're wrong!" She shouted. She fought to free herself and help the girl.

Loki held her tightly as she attempted to wriggle free. "Did you not see? Her body is broken, Neris, he broke her! Come, we must return to the room quickly. He has plans to do to you what he is doing to her."

Taking her hand, Loki pulled through the passages. The terrifying, agonized screams of the girl began to fade. Loki threw Neris into his work area and then into the tiny room they shared. Neris sobbed inconsolably and uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry. I didn't protect you. Neris, you are confined to this chamber and room only, do understand?"

"What? That girl was a child. That monster used to be one of us, how could he do that? Are we really capable of such evil?"

"Neris," said Loki. "You may not leave this room until we leave for Midgard, that is an order. Somethings are evil, born monsters, but not the Caela." His arms wrapped around her shoulders.

"Neither are the Jotuns," she added.

Loki smiled to himself. "I want you safe from harm. Neris, be safe and do as I say. We haven't much longer and then you will be free of this nightmare, we both will. Go into the other room, you can see the mortals working."

She sat for a long while in his arms before leaving to watch the mirrors. Selvig was nearly ready for the and Loki was beyond ready. Neris sobbed quietly as she watched them work. Selvig continuously took notes and reading, scanning every ounce of data presented. The humans were strange, they were each different, they had different color skins, which Neris found thrilling and odd. Their thought and hopes all different from each other. Chaos was their dominion, but yet they were united. She couldn't wait to meet them.

**Next Chapter will NOT feature a steamy scene, although, there will be one or two more down the road. **


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter is clean. The next won't be as much. Thanks for reading. **

**Disclaimer: Do not own Agent Clint Barton, S.H.I.E.L.D., or the scene being described. Character is inserted to a scene in the movie. **

**The next few chapters circle around what we did not see in the 'Avengers' like what was happening while they were being assembled.**

**Thank you for continuing on, I hope to see some review soon (please). :)**

Chapter 6

Today was the day, the day they would be free. They would go to Midgard, Loki would subjugate the mortals, and Neris would never have to return to Chitauri enslavement. She paced the chamber nervously as the Chitauri techs added last minute modifications to the platform that would beam them out of this nightmare. Loki had built the equipment similar to that of Selvig's, but it was so much more advanced, all the technology around them was.

Despite their verbal abuse, Neris ignored the Chitauri techs as best she could, they were no soldiers and as a result, they were of little consequence to her. She would be free of them soon enough.

Dressed in her leather uniform and the harness Loki had designed for her, she pondered at what the mortals would think when they saw her. She wasn't so alien to them, was she? Some mortals had skin almost as pink as her own, but none had purple eyes. To them, she would be alien, so foreign and odd. Would they shrink in fear or disgust at the sight of her?

One of her precious mirror portals lay near her, she took a moment to examine herself and her attire. In her regalia, she was sure she would be an impressive sight, Loki certainly was in his. She smiled, they would like her, mortals would love the Caela. As soon as Loki takes their world, she could teach them how to love their planet, how to speak to it. The Caela would be proud of her work.

The door to the chamber flew open and Loki entered. He slowly lost his armor and chose his a simpler version of his leather uniform. In his hand was an item Neris had never seen before. A gold and silver scepter commanded her attention, and she obeyed. The blue stone in the mouth of the blades was something only rumored to exist, but here it was, in Loki's possession. A mind control stone. She didn't know how the Chitauri got or why they had it, but she knew it had powers beyond imagination. The simplest truth of these creatures: they crave power and control.

_What will happen to the humans?_

"Skelk, come!" shouted Loki as he stood on the platform. They could see the human scientists working as they always did. "Turn it on," he ordered the techs.

A hum sounded loudly in the room. Loki knelt down and Neris quickly did the same. She pressed herself as much as she could to Loki's back and wrapped her arms around his abdomen. Through the portal, Neris could see the human's panicking about, trying to understand what the tesseract was doing.

_"This journey will be hard and take a about an hour of their time. . . . I have no idea how long it will actually take us to go through." _

Loki's voice rang in her mind. He had given her instructions. No matter what she felt, she could not let go of him. They would be lost to each other forever if she did.

_"Neris, I can't be without you. Take your rage and your pain, pour all of it into this journey. Never let go."_ It was as close as she could get to a confession of his feelings, but she knew them to be true. She promised.

A blue mass began to form around them. It was a swirl of energy, it stung her flesh. In a matter of seconds their room vanished and they were soaring through the portal. Her grip tightened around him and she could feel his body clench furiously. He was using all of his powers to keep them safe and on the path.

Breathing became difficult and the air around them began to grow hot, so hot that she wondered if her leather would melt onto her skin. She tried to scream out, but nothing happened. The grip she had on Loki began to slip against her will, panic consumed her. Too much was happening all at once. Her harness began to burn and sting, heat burned her lungs, her tears did little to comfort her.

_I'll lose him! Loki, please, help me!_ Her mind screamed and she hoped it would somehow burst from her head to his, but he seemed to notice nothing.

Pale skin gave way to blue and Neris could see his clear Jotun markings. The air cooled slightly, but just enough for her to tighten her grip around him once more. Her nails dug furiously into his leather and she buried her face into his back. His back arched slightly, he was growing weaker by the second.

The heat returned in moments and she felt the burning once again. So hot, the harness began to melt. Fear returned, but her grip remained firm. Then, suddenly, it stopped. Heat radiated from them both. Neris felt her hands fall from him as she rolled away, burnt and exhausted. She watched as he stood, and heard someone address him. With hazy eyes, she watched him examine his scepter before throwing his arm out, firing off an energy blast. Instantly, she heard gunfire, but was too physically exhausted to move. She rolled over on her back and waited.

When the gunfire finally stopped and she heard Loki speaking, proclaiming who he was and his purpose, she rolled back on her side. Neris struggled as she attempted to sit on her knees. How could Loki be fighting and moving around after what happened to them in the portal. She felt her stomach flip so she scooted to the edge of the platform and tossed up her meal from earlier. Her hands trembled as she clung to the edge.

With what energy she could muster, she awkwardly descended the steps of the platform and fell onto a row of thick wires that led to where the tesseract had opened the portal. But the tesseract was no where to be seen. Her eyes scanned around her, but she could not find it. Once more, she heard the sound of a weapon being fired. Walking towards her was her master followed by three men, one of them she knew to be Dr. Selvig.

Neris willed her legs to move. She pushed herself up and stepped over the wires. When Loki doubled over, Neris felt her legs come alive as she tried to run to him. She fell, but her jelly legs managed to, once again, to set her upright. A man had gone to Loki's aid when he lurched forward, but now redirected his path to Neris. He lifted her in his arms and followed behind Loki.

"Neris, stay with the tesseract," instructed Loki.

She muttered her response.

They walked quickly. One man spoke, Agent Barton, a man who was amazingly farsighted. He directed them to a chamber with transports Neris had never seen before. The man carrying her put her on her feet once more and told her to get into one of the vehicles before he left to get in his own transport. Selvig then moved in and sat next to her. He said nothing, but clung to a silver box.

The sound of gunfire once again permeated the air and she took cover. Selvig stared ahead as if nothing was happening around him. To her other side, the door of the vehicle flew open and Agent Barton jumped in and started the SUV. As the engine turned over and Neris jumped back in her seat, startled by the sound.

"Hang on," said Barton. They raced off.

The tunnel they sped through rumbled loudly. Sirens screamed around her, while bullets shot at their vehicle. Behind her, she could hear Loki firing off the spear. Chaos surrounded them, but Selvig took no notice and Barton was focused on his own tasks. Tears threatened to burst forth from Neris.

_"Keep going."_ That was what Loki had said before they left. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself.

"Take cover, Neris." Barton's voice was stoic, and she knew it to be Loki's instructions.

She crawled beneath the dashboard of the vehicle and sat between the feet of both men. A small window behind the men showed her Loki, still fighting. If she thought her journey to Midgard had been awful, she realized her trip in the foreign transport was just as bad as she was jostled around the vehicle as if caught out on the sea in a storm.

After a while, the path smoothed and she knew the fighting was over. She dared a peek and could see Loki sitting behind her. His eyes met hers. He was utterly spent.

"Is there somewhere we can go?" She asked Barton. "He needs to rest."

"There is a warehouse several hours away. The people there will give us what we need and then we continue."

"Alright," Neris replied.

They didn't stop, all night and into the next day, they drove in black vans. The people at the warehouse gave them vans to get to a remote hanger owned by an enemy of S.H.I.E.L.D. Five vans set out at the same time, each going a different direction. To her relief, Neris remained with Loki. With everyone in the vehicle, Selvig, Barton, and two, new additions, both engineers, under Loki's mind control, there was no fear of what words passed in the van. Neris whispered to Loki and wiped away the sweat on his brow.

"What now, master?"

"You shall see soon, my sweet Neris." He turned to Selvig and addressed the doctor. "You must build on the go, until reach our base."

"Sir, there are a network of abandoned tunnels on the east coast. A base can be ready by the time we get there," informed one of the engineers.

"Good. Do it. Now, tell me, Agent Barton, what am I up against?"

Neris listen in horror as she learned of a meek little man who could grow into a huge, green monster. A destructive creature, and a formidable opponent. Loki smiled as he listened. Neris could see his amazing mind working, calculating a plan for dealing with the creature. Then there came a wealthy genius whose ego would likely be his own downfall, but his suit of flying metal interested both Neris and Loki. Next was a soldier who once served his people valiantly and assumingly died heroically for them. A man frozen in time and then reawakened, a lost soul. Finally, there was the woman.

So lethal her nickname was that of a killer spider. Her history was dark and full of murder, lies, and betrayal. As Barton explain, he and the woman were very close. Lovers. Neris knew that if they weren't then, they would be soon enough. But the woman tortured people, innocent people too, people like Neris who had done nothing. She feared the woman with hair of flames.

"You can stop them, right?" Neris questioned Loki. Her eyes watered as she sought comfort from him. He held her close and reassured her that they wouldn't be a problem. None of them would. She was safe.

Neris rested for most of the journey, but stayed close to Selvig. The tesseract would not escape her. She watched as Loki worked, as he used his scepter to consumed the minds of the humans. A few did not require coercion, they eagerly joined any cause against S.H.I.E.L.D. and supported Loki's quest for power. But at the heart of it, Neris knew she was his only true ally and finally understood how alone he was.


	7. Chapter 7

**For those of you that read this chapter or were about to, I changed it. The previous content was not appropriate and I did not feel like it did these characters justice. Hope you will enjoy this version much more, I feel much more confident in this one. Thank you for reading this again, and if this is your first time, thank you for sticking with the story. I hope that you all will leave me a review so that I may know what steps I can take to make this story my enjoyable.**

Chapter 7

The tunnels were wet and crowded, with more noise than Neris wanted to be around, but she could go nowhere, not without the cube, not without Loki. But she did not succumb to boredom, instead she spent her time with Selvig, chattering about her home world, about Caelandis. He didn't respond to her, but she continued talking nonetheless. He was her friend whether he knew it or not. She prattled on and on about when Loki took over the human world, she would teach them how to cultivate it, how to love it, how to love each other once more. When she grew tired of talking, she would just watch him work as she had done so often on the other side of the portal.

A few days had passed since they arrived in Midgard and Neris had a sick feeling the Chitauri were not at all pleased. She navigated the tunnels in search of Loki and found him sitting on the floor, scepter in hand, and staring at nothing. Slowly and cautiously, she approached him. As she did so, she saw him straighten, she did the same. Suddenly, they were taken from the tunnels and both stood on a floating space rock. Neris spotted Loki just ahead, he stood proud in his regalia armor, and that was when she noticed that hers had appeared as well. She hurried towards him.

"The skelk looks well," came a voice. Neris froze and then saw him. The Other. "You've grown fond of her."

"The skelk is of no consequence, she is merely useful to me." Although he sounded fearless, Neris knew he was afraid, and rightly so. The Other served him.

She couldn't bring herself to go any further, so she watched and listen.

"Destroy that little body of hers. Her skin is too pink, give it some color. Purple and black nice colors, but red is the best."

Enough. She turned from them as they spoke of the Chitauri. Neris could hear Loki goading The Other and wished desperately that he would stop.  
Glancing around, she surveyed the rock they were on. She had never been to it before, but knew it was no barren rock. She could hear something slithering around. Her heart sped, what else was with them? She ran ahead to Loki and The Other despite her fears.

". . . for something as sweet as pain." She heard The Other say. Then she felt a burning slap on her face.

When the pain began to subside she found herself on the floor in the tunnels. She heard her name and watched as Loki stood in a huff and ordered her to follow. Brushing the damp of the tunnel from herself, she quickly chased after him.

"Get out," he spat. He was raging. Neris wondered what The Other had said to him, but she feared to ask. "Skelk, I said get out!"

"What?" She looked at him wildly.

Loki threw his scepter of to the side and it rang with a metallic clang when it hit the ground. Like a wild beast he approached her. "I swear to you that I will kill you if you do not leave. I will rip out your heart and crush it, break that body.

Oh, no! Not him! She stood dumbly, in a panic. What had she done? Before she could think he picked her up and threw her against the wall. She begged to know why and began to cry. Grabbing both of her hands with just one of his, he pinned them to the wall. With his free hand, he grasped her neck and began to squeeze it. She gasped, tears burning her eyes.

"I am trying to keep you safe. What they want me to do is far worse than what I will do."

She didn't understand. Why would he do this? "Loki," her breath was ragged as she spoke, "it's okay. I'll do whatever you want me too."  
"No!" He roared. "Not this, this isn't what I want. You call me master."

Then he slammed her to the ground and she felt his fist strike her face. She cried out in agony. Her mind swirled with a hundred reasons he could have for doing this to her. The Chitauri wanted to break her. They were doing this to her, and to him. But still, his storm continued, damaging her, and slowly breaking her spirit.

She felt the blood tingle in her mouth and the bruises already forming. Neris had never felt so dead inside.

"I. . . never asked. . . ugh. . . what a "skelk" was. What. . . does it me?" He grunted as he hit her in his fit of rage.

"Why do you. . . ah! Please, stop it, I love you. Stop this!" She cried out and tried to fight him. Her heart felt like it was shattering. "Why are you doing this?" Her arms felt weak against his blows.

"Answer!" He screeched. He hated himself. She would never forgive him and neither would he.

"Mistake! It means mistake. Please, I know you love me too." He stopped for a moment at her words and they looked into each other's eyes. His eyes were bright blue. She hated the Chitauri, it was they who were doing this, not Loki. "They think our existence was a mistake, that we're an abomination to creation. I will show them."

Her skin began to change to a blotchy red. Loki stopped and pulled away of her in horror. He looked at his hands, as if seeing them for the first time. With her face covered in blood, he realized that madness had overtaken him. With a flick of his wrist, they were both clean of his crime. Quickly, he picked up his scepter, but the rage still burned on his face. Blue swirls of energy gathered around the stone fixed at the mouth of the scepter. He shot and shot and shot until an adjacent tunnel crumpled. Stunned and confused, Neris lay slumped on the floor trying to reconcile what was happening.  
Anger, revenge, hate, lust for power, destruction, those were the things that changed the Caela. When Loki had stopped her, her anger fled momentarily and her skin changed back to pink. Before she could say anything to the man she professed to love, he left. His clothes flapped violently as he left her on the floor. Without shame or care, she sobbed loudly, furiously, allowing her broken heart to surface completely. The Chitauri were trying to break her and she knew she was doing exactly what they wanted. If she gave in, she would lose everything, her soul as a Caela and Loki's love for her. But still the anger swirled in her.

She stared at her hands through the neverending tears. They remained a blotchy red. She attempted to wipe it away, when nothing happened, she screamed in fury. "Why? Why? Why? Why him?" She wailed. "Must you take everything I love?"

Her head throbbed horribly from the beating and she felt herself swoon. Bitter and hurt, she allowed sleep overtake her and she fell against the floor. Her dreams took her to Caelandis, to the day everything changed. They had had no warning and no chance. The invasion into her world was quick, the slow moving elders and the innocent children were swiftly executed. So many had died the instant they invaded her world. Her sister, her beautiful little sister died at the hands of those monsters. That was only in the first hours of invasion, what came after made Neris wish she had been among the first to die.

She snapped awake, shaking away the nightmares. Her grandfather was still alive, that was all she knew, her only family and she was so very far from him. Neris looked around, she was still in the tunnels and Loki was nowhere to be seen. Swallowing her pain, she stood, determined to keep going. She snuck a glance at her hands, the blotching had faded for the most part, but she could see the faint stains of where they had been. They would never disappear now, she was tainted.

Her feet led her back to Selvig, but there were people missing. "Where is Loki?"

Selvig eyed her. His face twitched slightly as if the real Selvig was trying to say something he wasn't allowed to say. He gave up, Neris had no interest in pressing him. "He left with Barton. They've gone to get Iridium for me, the tesseract needs it, Neris." He laughed an unsettling laugh. "He left you something over there."

Her gaze followed the direction his finger pointed. Resting upon a collection of crates was an apple and a pale, pink peony. Floating over to the crates, Neris scrutinized the gifts left for her. An apology and a reminder. Loki did not believe she would ever forgive him, but she had. She, however, would never forgive her The Other. Loki's loss of control was all the proof she needed that he had to be destroyed.

The apple, from a tree, was a connection to this world. Here the food was so foreign and unnatural, but the apples were pure, from lonely trees, trees that she would awaken. Tears ran down her face as she ate it. A flower, one she had not seen in over a hundred years, was the confession of his love. She clutched it close to her heart. A warmth spread throughout her body as she thought back to all the tenderness Loki had shown since he met her.  
"It wasn't you, Loki. We are two hearts of wretchedness, but one heart of love." She spoke everything she wished she could say to him. "My king, I have been wounded horribly, but I know it wasn't you. Don't push me away."

"Can you forgive him?" asked Selvig. She shot him a look. "That monster beat you, how can you forgive him?"

Loki wasn't the same as them. He mourned his deeds, they celebrated it. "I shall defy you, all of you. I will find away to free us." Selvig stared blankly at her. Turning back to the flower she said, "It never happened, Loki. It was a nightmare and now I've woken up."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: The current Chapter 7 is not what was previously posted early yesterday. I thought over what I had written and decided that it was neither appropriate, nor doing these character justice. The new version has Loki beating Neris instead. If that is not the version you read, I ask (and I know this is frustrating, I'm so sorry) that you reread the chapter. If that is the version you read, you are ready to move on. I don't want anyone to be confused, so remember, Chapter 7 was posted twice yesterday.**

**Also, I received to reviews yesterday, both lovely. I appreciate the time they took writing a review. Sadly, one of them did not give a name and was not a member so I could not write him/her a personalized response. Their words were encouraging, so I thought I would thank them publicly. Please, if you have the time to review, I would be delighted to read it. Again, thank you for sticking with this story!**

Chapter 8

When Agent Barton returned he was greeted with a great deal of pomp. Loki's new devotes were eager to learn where their leader was, especially Neris. Despite being so close to Loki, she knew very little of his plans or schemes. The human expression she had learned was that Loki didn't keep all of his eggs in one basket. He was keeping them somewhere, though, a great mess was left behind each time he was out.

Upon Barton's orders, the tunnels' new inhabitants were dismantling their projects and, with as many hands as could be spared, were helping Selvig to place the tesseract and his new portal onto a truck. Neris watched with great anticipation as the tunnels unfolded before her. She was the first to take a seat on the truck, their transport, when she noticed that Barton was not joining them.

"Where is Loki? When is he coming back?" she asked.

Barton stared at the bruises on her face, but said nothing about them. "I am retrieving him. You must stay with the tesseract, his orders."

He left her then, confused and still sore from her beatings. As she rode in the back of the truck she watched Selvig add the finishing touches to the portal's device. He checked and rechecked all his calculations and laughed to himself. Neris was sure Selvig was in there somewhere. At times she could see a glimmer in his eye, evidence that he was still there. She wondered what would happen to him once Earth was won. Would his mind return?

"You okay?" He asked her. His smile was disturbing, like he found something quite unknown to her funny.

Taking a deep breath, she spoke, "You're not Dr. Selvig, and you aren't Loki. I don't know what you are, but you will stop bothering me." She hoped he would return to the man he was before. Whatever was inside did not belong.

The trip was lengthy, but they had little trouble and no stops on the way. Cars practically jumped out of their way as they flew down the road. When at last they came to a stop it was in the parking garage of a strange building. The computer wiring of the entire facility was promptly severed and replaced, allowing them complete access. True to her duty, she remained with Selvig and the tesseract as the equipment was established. She stood aloof while Selvig typed furiously upon a computer to open the portal. The tesseract began shooting of bouts of energy as it tried to stabilize.

"Is that normal?" she asked, not daring to get any closer.

"The tesseract is ready," he responded. It took all of thirty minutes before the tesseract became active. "He's here."

Neris stared over the edge to the balcony to see Loki standing, gazing out at the city below. Pebbles on the roof shifted as she raced down the staircase to greet him. She stopped short when he turned to face her. In her throat, her breath hitched. Cautiously, she approached him.

"Loki?" Her voice betrayed the fear she felt. She couldn't put the memory of how he'd slammed his fist into her face out of her mind.

His eyes watered as he surveyed the damage he caused. He spied the faint blotches of red on her hands and neck. Pressing his lips into a frown, he approached her, attempting to touch her. Instinctively, she backed away. The urged to run into his arms or run away from him tugged at her equally.

"Sweet Neris. I never meant to hurt you. You're free now. But please, hide yourself. The Chitauri are coming, and my enemies. After I win this war, I promise that I will make sure no harm comes to you, not from the Chitauri and not from me."

Tears ran down her face. "I know it wasn't you. The pain in my heart hurt more than the pain in my face. The rage was intense for awhile. They are-"

"Stop, Neris. Just accept that I did it. I hit you. I kicked you. I beat you. If I lose this war- No, listen to me, Neris! If I lose, you will be safe, just as you will be in my victory. I ask only one thing, tell _them_ nothing of what happened to us, least of me."

With her permission he held her in his arms. "You ask your slave?" If she thought she had exhausted all of her tears, she was mistaken. But tears of joy were always available.

"I ask a free Caela to grant my request. Now, hide yourself. They have Barton and I know they are coming, as futile as it is, they plan to fight me." He told her to hide herself, she reluctantly obeyed, not because he ordered her, but because he was asking her to survive.

Through the doors she went, returning to the sanctuary of Stark Tower, the tower of the metal man. At the back of the room as she neared the door to the stairwell leading to the roof, she heard him. Turning slowly, she watched as a red suit of armor dropped onto a mechanical platform. The armor was quickly removed to reveal the man inside. Neris then threw open the door to the stairwell least she be spotted by the man in armor. She navigated the staircase with relative ease.

She burst through the door of the first tier of the roof and ran to the ladder leading to the second and last tier. At the top she saw Selvig lying on the ground, unmoving. As she moved to go to Selvig's aid the tesseract's energy shot into the sky, opening the portal to allow in the Chitauri. Startled, Neris slipped and fell to the first tier. The wind was knocked from her and fear paralyzed her as she watched the maddening descent of the Chitauri. She smiled, despite herself, her people were beyond that portal, tucked into the massive ship controlling the Chitauri. The Caela were just beyond her reach, but they were there and they were coming.

When she finally managed to move, Neris watched the battle unfold below her. She stayed low to avoid crossfire and made no attempt to climb to the second tier again. Cars and buses shot into the air. Glass of a thousand windows shattered together like a rush of water. Lightning filled the sky as Thor brought down a Leviathan. Neris watched in awe as the creature crumbled below, taking out a building with it.

That was Loki's brother. He spoke very little of the brother that threw him into an abyss and the nightmare that is the Chitauri. At times Neris noticed a glimmer in Loki's eyes, a sadness that came about when there was mention of Thor.

The city came undone around her. Smoke, fire, shatter glass, all of it filled the city. Transfixed on the sight below her, Neris barely had time to react when she was discovered by the flame hair woman she feared for much. The woman glowered at her.

"What the hell are you?"


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N Just to warn you: Chapter 11 or 12 (Haven't decided which just yet) will feature a steamy scene. :)**

**Thank you all for the continued support!**

**Also, comment/review, like/favorite, please!**

Chapter 9

"No, Natasha! Please don't hurt me!" Begged Neris as she threw her hands up defensively. She backed away from the assassin, whose hair was as red as blood.

"Do I have a reason to hurt you?" Blood ran down her temple, she stared in wonder at Neris. "I don't have time for this. I need to shut the portal down. Will you help?"

"Dr. Selvig. He is hurt, but he can help you." Neris led the woman to the ladder and onto the second tier. Natasha approached the tesseract, her brain scrambling around trying to figure out how to stop it.

Beside Neris, Selvig struggled to move. He glanced briefly at Neris, his eyes were pure, like she had seen so many times through the mirror. He spoke to Natasha, telling her that he knew there was a way to shut down the tesseract: Loki's scepter. When he built the portal he added a fail safe. Neris had never noticed it before. Had Selvig been there, witnessing his work, participating in it the entire time? Neris beamed happily at the realization that he had been there to hear her, that his brilliant mind had seen everything.

Natasha abruptly took off, as Neris made to follow, she felt a hand take hold of hers. "Neris, stay with me, please?"

Selvig lay panting, he was dirty with a splotch of blood upon his forehead. Neris didn't want to stay, if Loki's scepter was nearby, it meant that he would be too. She implored him to let her go.

"Sweet Neris," he addressed her using the moniker Loki had given her. "He did that to you! There is a battle in Manhattan!" Seeing that she would not waver in her conviction, he spoke once more. "Help me up at least, if you are so determined to go to that monster."

She supposed, with all that had happened to Selvig, all of it being against his will, she could understand why he thought that about Loki. Her hand went out to meet his and she helped him to his feet. Selvig leaned on her for support while his legs attempted to figure out the best approach to walking. As he lifted his computer to examine the tesseract, Natasha returned with Loki's scepter. Once more, Neris backed away in fear.

"Girl! Loki is down below." Natasha approached the portal, piercing the energy around the cube. She spoke to the air, telling it that she could close it.

Before Neris could leave to attend to Loki, she spied the armored man holding onto a flying bomb. Dread fell over her, it was coming towards them. The metal man redirected the bomb's path vertically. He zipped passed them and straight into the portal. Neris held her breath as she watched him release the weapon. As the weapon exploded in the safety of space, Neris felt her mind snapped.

She raced for Natasha as the woman began closing the portal. Selvig reached out and grabbed her. "NO! NO! NO!" she screamed. "What have you done? The Caela! What have you done?" Her wailing escalated, but Selvig held her at bay while she sobbed. "My brothers, my sisters! You killed them."

Rocking in Selvig's arms, Neris sobbed harder than she had ever. The utter extent of her heartbreak filled every fiber of her being. She truly felt broken and alone. There was no satisfaction that the Chitauri were also killed, she only thought of her kin who perished upon the ship. There was nothing that compared to her anguish. In her mind she saw the tall Tar'en trees of her world burning, their leaves of gold consumed by flame. Amber color tree trunks burst into fire and fell, being used later for fuel. Every voice and cry of her people, her world, filled her ears like a horrible dronning.

"Doctor, what is wrong with her?" Spat Natasha as she watched the alien girl sob hysterically. She was in no mood to attend to one of Loki's minions.

Selvig searched through his mind, recalling all that Neris had told him while he was under the influence of Loki's scepter. "Her people were aboard that ship. They were slaves. She's alone, now." He rubbed her face and cradled her in his arms.

"No," said Neris through the tears. "It was one of many, many ships. But there were hundreds of Caela there, and a few thousand on the other ships. Are numbers grow smaller every second of everyday. They kill us without qualm, and we are allowed no contact with each other. . . . Our species will die out, and then I shall be truly alone. . . . Oh the punishment they will receive!" she wailed.

Natasha paled at her words. "There are more of those creatures? The Chitauri?"

Neris nodded. "You closed the portal, they cannot come now, not without the tesseract. The Chitauri didn't kill my people. Your people did."

Her skin started to turn red, hatred filled her. Rudely, she was spun away from Natasha and her enraged gaze beheld Selvig. "You know that is not true. Neris, you know it. They were going to do to this world what they did to yours."

The truth of his words saturated her brain. So much death and destruction descended upon this world the moment those monsters passed through the portal. Why would Loki do that to these people? He would never have been able to rule this world, the Chitauri would have destroyed it before that happened. A strange thought then occurred to her. Did Loki want to win this world? If dominion over this realm had been his objective, he would have won, nothing would have stopped him, he was far too clever for that. She knew Loki had secrets, he was yards ahead of everyone else, but she foolishly believed she was only a few steps behind him. Her cognizance of everything that had passed between them revealed to her that her understanding of how Loki's mind worked was grossly skewed.

"I know," she answered sadly. "Where is Loki?"

Selvig remained with the tesseract, dismantling it, while Natasha led Neris to her master, her friend, her great love. The Caela was still fearful of the flame haired woman, but had accepted that Natasha acted with courage and compassion. Could she consider this woman an ally? It wouldn't matter, she wielded Loki's scepter, she was dangerous and Neris had no choice but to obey the woman.

Natasha said nothing as Neris followed her. When they reached the room where Loki was, the chamber of comfort as Neris had come to call it, she saw the other people Barton had mentioned. Like a deer, she froze, relaxing only a bit when she saw Barton. His eyes were normal and they finally looked at her with a sense of comprehension. The green monster, Barton, Natasha, Thor, and the metal man had all gathered around Loki as he pulled himself from the floor, bruised and worn. Neris rushed to his aid.

"Neris, stop!" Snapped Barton. She halted in her tracks. "Stay back. You cannot help him." She inched closer when Barton suddenly turned his bow on her. "I said 'stop'."

"Skelk, do as he says," ordered Loki. She stared. Why would he call her that when she knew he didn't mean it?

Her world caved in. Around her the people known as the 'Avengers' began asking about her. Why was she covered in bruises? Why was her skin pink? Were her ears cut off at the top? What kind of creature was she? Was her name 'Skelk' or 'Neris'? Why was she with Loki? He hit her, beat her, she was his slave. Her world was gone. She traveled with Loki. She couldn't fight, she was fearful and subservient to Loki. No answer was supplied by Neris, she merely listened as her mind sorted through everything Loki had ever told her.

she was free, he really meant it, he had secured it for her, at the loss of his own. He had beaten her not because the Chitauri wanted him to, but because he had to protect her from them, he did it so these people would think him a monster. He called her a 'skelk' not because he thought she was one, but because he wanted them to have mercy and compassion for her. He wanted her to hate him so that the Avengers would accept her. He thwarted his plans for her, and for himself. Loki hated the Chitauri as much as she. Midgard meant nothing to him, he wanted Asgard and he wanted her there as well.

How much more of it could she take? Did he think she was strong enough to funnel all the emotions he put her through? Because she was alien to this world, Loki had secured her passage out of it and into Asgard. Had he done all of this for her? For them? Neris felt herself sway. Her legs finally gave out, but before she hit the floor, she was suspended in the arms of Agent Barton.

"Please, don't kill him," she said before fading into darkness.

When Neris came too, she found herself sitting in a small prison cell with a single guard posted next to her. She stood and walked to the bars, peering around her. At a distance she could see a massive collection of men decked in black armor and clothes. As she reached for the bars of her prison she felt a tug on her forearm. Quickly, she removes her gauntlet and peeled back the leather and green fabric to see her arm covered in bruises and bandages. Frightened, she did the same to the other arm only to see that both arms matchee. What did they do to her? In an instant she became hysterical, clinging to the bars, and screaming.

The guard outside her cell burst open the door to calm her down. At the end of the hall, the cluster of guards surrounding another cell turned to her. A few of them ran to her in an effort to sedate her, but in doing so, they exposed their prisoner.

"LOKI! LOKI! Help!" Neris screamed over and over until she was pulled from the bars and thrown to the ground. Three large men pinned her to the ground, but she continued to fight them.

"Oh, stop! Let her up. Neris, calm down. Let me explain."

Through the panic she could see the red haired woman. Natasha pulled one of the men from Neris, but left the other two until Neris had calmed herself. "What did you people do to me?"

"We took your blood. Neris, I work for a global organization called S.H.I.E.L.D. We are testing your blood to understand your genetic makeup. You've been sedated for a day. That is all that we have done to you."

"Why?" questioned Neris. Her heart thundered in her ear. They would cut her open just like the Chitauri had done to the Caela in the beginning.

"We needed samples to run tests on you. Thor is taking you to Asgard with Loki. Since you were involved with the battle, you are a criminal and we have the right to lock you up. But because you are not from here Thor has the right to take you to the Asgardian prison instead. We agreed to this on the condition that we take samples of your blood." She seemed sympathetic, but Neris knew her to be an expert liar.

Natasha then led Neris out of her cell and through a long hallway, opposite of the end of where Loki was being held. Neris was then placed into a truck and seated next to . Confused, she asked where they were going. She and Loki were leave for Asgard that day. Relief flooded Neris. Perhaps she could finally feel safe and free again. She offered her deepest apologizes to Selvig for what happened to him. He offered her a simple smile and offered his own apologizes for the loss of her world. He had heard every word she had spoken despite being under mind control. Erik Selvig had developed a fondness for Neris that was emphatically reciprocated. How truly wonderful it was to have a relationship with someone once again, to have a friend.

When they arrived at their destination in the middle of Central Park, Selvig bid Neris a simple 'adieu', followed by Natasha and Agent Barton. To their chagrin, however, Neris lit up at the sight of Loki. Her delight faltered slightly as watched him being pulled along like a dog in chains, complete with a muzzle. He eyed her.

Neris approached Loki as Selvig handed Thor a device housing the tesseract.

"Neris of Caelandis, take hold of my arm." Thor's voiced thundered as he spoke. She thought to protest his demand in favor of taking Loki's arm instead, but quickly thought better of it. Carefully, she wrapped her cuffed hands around his massive arm and held on for dear life as the tesseract shot them through space.


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry this is so late! (and short). Chapter 12 should feature the steamy scene. Enjoy this one and remember to review! 3**

Chapter 10

Queen Frigga paced around her. It was a slow, deliberate pace, one that would enable her to visually dissect the strange woman standing before her. The queen said nothing as she made her rounds, she would save her comments. Neris wasn't sure how much longer she could endure it. Sensing her discomfort, Frigga stopped.

"Why Loki?" Asked the queen. Her golden hair rippled down her back and shone in the light. She was an angel. Neris felt pale in her wake.

"He saved me. He," she paused, desperately wanting to tell the queen everything that had happened to her and Loki. "He was a light in the darkest of places and I needed that light, my queen."

Frigga seemed pleased with her response. "Do you love him?"

Was she allowed to answer that question? "Ah, yes, ma'am, I do. I love him beyond reconciliation. . . there are no words."

The queen seemed satisfied with her answer. She resumed her pacing around Neris. The Caela shifted between her feet, rattling the chains binding her. Since they landed Neris remained in the custody of the palace guards, under their unwavering and intimidating gaze. She remained as a prisoner, but was kept locked away in a very plain room. Quaint as it was she liked it. The room certainly beat the tiny spaces she had grown accustomed too. It was much better than the damp tunnels she and Loki had resided in while on Midgard. But she was never allowed out of the room unless escorted. Along the perimeter of her balcony was a barrier that would prevent any attempts to escape. Not that she tried, not without Loki.

For several days the queen would enter into her room and Neris would wait patiently as the guards would shackle her. The first day Frigga simply stared at Neris who perspired furiously under such a glare. After that, she asked Neris about her history and her world. A story unmatched in sorrow, it was a tale Neris relayed with a mixture of nostalgia and pain. They had no warning, no chance to prepare, even if they were a warfaring people. She had watched as friends and family fell. Watched the forests burn, the mountains tumble, and the rivers shrink, and yet, Neris was among those that made it out of the fray. Into what, Neris never responded.

"Your trees, were they all amber and orange?"

Neris lit up. "Just the Tar'en trees. Yu'en trees were purple with deep blue leaves growing everywhere. But they mostly grew on an island in the center of the great Asaurhon Lake. Well, it was more like an ocean. Our sky was much the same as yours. At night we could see so many stars; the dust of fallen stars swirling around." She watched the sky in her mind, remembering.

"Neris, I am sorry for your loss." Frigga reached out to Neris, motioning her hands over the girl's shackles. They watched as the manacles fell to the floor. "My King Odin has given me permission to do with you as I please-"

"I will not become a slave again!" Snapped Neris. Frigga stopped, a look of annoyance appearing, but it was quickly replaced with controlled wisdom.

"Never again, I promise. Loki has had quite an affect on you, my dear. Your temper flares much the same as his. But as I was saying. I shall decide your future on Asgard."

Freed from her shackles, Neris wandered off to a small sofa. What would happen to her? There was no one but Loki. The floor would be a good distraction for her while she waited to hear the news that would rip out her happiness.

"You are free, my dear. But I offer you employment under my charge. Would you like to serve as my handmaiden. I will teach you Asgardian customs, and I will teach you how to be a princess. "

"My queen, what do you mean?" Neris stared in bewilderment. "I am not royalty. Ours are dead. How can I be a princess?"

Frigga sat next to the girl on the sofa. The older woman took the pink creature's hands in hers and stared into the purple orbs of the strange woman. Tenderly, she rubbed the girl's hands. "Do you wish to marry Loki?"

The question startled Neris. She pulled her hands away from the queen and stared at the woman as if she were mad. "Loki has made no such request and I will not force him into any type of binding agreement. He has never declared his love for me."

"But you know he does," interrupted the queen. She rose and drew near to the Caela. "I cannot promise much for my king shall decide Loki's fate, but I am sure that the result will be favorable to you. Your words have helped Loki."

Neris watched the other woman leave. Would she get to marry Loki? Would she have a home again? Neris traveled from the modest dwelling to the attached balcony and gazed up into the sky. She would be the first Caela to marry someone outside their race. But was he so different from her? Without his Asgardian skin, he was like her, odd with odd abilities tethered to their original worlds. But he did remind her of stories handed down the generations of her people. Stories that were told long ago spoke a tribe of people dwelling in their highest mountain range, people who could control the frost. They had been lost to the Caela long before The Remembering. Absurd was the notion that danced through her mind: could those people have been the Jotuns?


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry the chapter is late again. They will be during the week, I started working again.**

**Anyway, review, please!**

Chapter 11

In the great throne room of Asgard sat Neris, accompanied by Frigga. The woman sat against the wall and waited. Upon the throne itself sat Odin, an imposing figure. He stared ahead, waiting for his lost son. He fumed in silence. Where had he gone wrong with Loki?

Chains rattled rhythmically as Loki slowly entered the chamber. Frigga stood and waited to receive him. He halted when he saw her. Turning, he goaded her.

"Do not make this worse, Loki."

Neris could see the effort the queen was making in talking to a boy that refused to listen. The bitterness she felt as losing him, but it wasn't from him falling from Asgard. His hate and resentment was part of her doing and she would see to it that she made it up to him. Her heart ached for her son, but if her plans came to fruition, then it would be a pain that she would happily suffer through.

Loki mocked her in response. It was then that the king spoke, ordering her to leave. A muted look from the queen brought Neris to her feet and she followed the older woman out of the chamber. Neris took the opportunity to steal a glance of Loki. He never knew she was there, he never saw her. She wondered briefly if he was concerned, if he worried about her. She desperately wanted to know.

"Patience, Neris," said Frigga as the woman led Neris through spacious halls. "I am forbidden to see Loki, but the king has made no such declaration for you. Can you keep this secret?"

It took several of her steps just to keep up with the few strides of the queen. More than a hundred years Neris had spent huddled, on her knees, or unconscious and strung up wherever he masters wanted her. She was never permitted to stretch her legs, run, climb trees, they stifled her movements. Having only been free of the Chitauri for a few months, Neris still found long distance walking difficult. Her legs seemed to want to work against her.

"Of course! My queen, I am your ally and friend. And. . . if it will help Loki, then I shall do whatever it is that you ask of me."

"Good," she replied with a smirk. "It is time to make you look like a princess."

Neris had never before touched such fine clothing before. Almost brought to tears was she when the queen told her that she was to be given as many dresses as she wanted and in what ever color she prefered. She liked green. With her skin color she would look like a blooming flower, supported by her green stem, and she could be any shade. Then there was purple to match her eyes, or an earthy brown to match her hair, or grey like the nightgown Loki had given her on her first night with him. Embroidery of any color could be added along with armored pieces that were commonly added to the breast or shoulders. She chose to forgo the breast plate armor and instead chose to wear an crescent shaped necklace, to match the image on Loki's breast plate.

Neris examined herself in the mirror, she was shocked to see the woman staring back at her. She almost looked Asgardian. Her people had never worn much clothing, they never needed too. Their climate did change, but the Caela were well adapted. They never scorned one another or lusted for each other, unless it was mating time. That time was something Neris could not bring herself to reveal to the queen.

Mating had once been an exciting event. Neris had always hoped to find a Caela who would chose to be her mate for all time, like her grandparents. She feared to be like her parents. Her father was from her tribe, but her mother was from the Tribe of Water. They could hear the songs of the rivers and lakes and oceans, but not the trees, not like Neris. Their mating lasted long enough to conceive her. The break had been horrible, no Caela wanted to end their mating with a mate, but it could not be helped. But the tribes continued to mix, despite the failure.

It was a strange ritual if one was not a Caela. It was more than a physical bonding, it was spiritual, it was whole. Mating was intimate and necessary as the name suggested, but it was also beautiful. For her people, they choose the tree that sang to them and beneath it they would sit. The couples would sing a song together and if the light of their world appeared their hands, they could begin. Her mother sang songs to the water which then flowed into the tree that had picked her father. The light had appeared, but it was not meant to light went out and it was done.

Since she had never mated, Neris did not know the details of how it was done. Without her world, could it even be done? How could she explain the complexity of the ritual to those that thought to only be a primeval intercourse? She shook her head of such a such a silly notion. She wasn't even sure if she could mate properly with Loki since she had no world to connect too. And then, what if she was like her parents? What if it was wrong for her too? What if she was only meant to mate within her tribe?

"What is on your mind, dear Neris?" Asked the queen. "You have been thinking a great and saying nothing. Speak."

The Caela paced around room of textiles. "I was thinking of my parents. They did not remain together. What if Loki and I do not either? My father sang with the trees and my mother with the water. What if Loki and I have two different songs and in the end, he does not want me?"

Frigga laughed softly and smiled at the girl. "You have the forest and the river. So you are grounded, but adaptable and accepting of change. Your roots can be dropped anywhere." She spoke as if she was a Caela. "Loki is of the frost, the Jotuns of you whom your legends speak- oh, yes, my dear, the Jotun'ar. They were once a tribe of the Caela, lost long ago. His frost is the death of life, it is isolation. You are of the elements of life, Neris. Of unity. Perhaps your parents were only meant to make you."

She had never thought of her situation in such a way before. No Caela was lonely before the Chitauri and none were lost. Only a small handful of the Caela matings had ever ended up like her parents. The water and trees sang a song to reach out to the frost. Could such a thing be? Were they directing the Caela to a new home?

"What should I do, my queen?"

"Go to Loki."

The prison was unlike anything she had seen. The cells were cubes of energy, exposing everything that lay inside. It was clean, very unlike the Chitauri. There was space within and mild privacy. But it could be frightening. Neris was taken down the stairs and into the prison by the guards. When they reached Loki's cell she was permitted into the room. The guards would disappear from her peripheral, but would remain close enough in case something happened.

"Sweet Neris," whispered Loki as he took the pile of books sent by his mother from the her rosy arms. He gaped at her, unsure whether he should be angry with her or grab her and tell her she was his forever. But he did nothing except stare as he tossed the books to the side. "Why have you not gone into the forest? You are free now. You are not a prisoner or a slave."

Neris silenced him with a kiss. He responded instantly and before she knew it, he had scooped her into his arms before setting her down onto his bed. His hands roamed her body while he kissed her and breathed in her scent. His heart fluttered within his breast as he held her.

"You always smell like the forest. Like a clear, Spring day. Can you stay with me?" His voice faltered. "Please, stay, they have all abandoned me. I am to remain here forever." He tried to suppress his emotions with his usual stoic stare, but Neris could see his pain. She could see the rage swelling within him.

His entire life had been a lie. His birth father had been their enemy, a tyrant. Bad enough that his father was a monster, the man who has raised him had declared himself Loki's savior and claimed that he was the only reason Loki lived. Odin had merely thrown more wood into the fire, Loki's hatred had grown.

"I haven't and neither has your mother. She sent you the books. . . and me. I cannot stay for long. I have come to ask you something."

Loki sat back on his bed and pulled her up with him. "What?" His voice was harsh and cold.

"My love, would you ever consider mating with me? Well, what your people call 'marriage'. Would you consider uniting your life with mine?" She watched him, fearing that he would reject her.

He stood and walked away from her. Neris felt her wave fall over her heart. She bowed her head submissively. The rejection would come and she would be more alone than ever before. Around her the air grew cold, and she dared glance towards Loki who then revealed himself to be responsible. How easily he could change himself. Loki turned towards her once more.

"A Caela can only mate with one of their own. Kiss me," he ordered. He towered over her. His red eyes blazed fiercely.

Tentatively, Neris drew her fingers over the ridges of his Jotun flesh. It was like touching ice, soft, fleshy ice. But she did not mind and it did not bother her. She took his face into her hands and drew him down to her height. Cautiously, she drew his blue lips to hers. Their tongues battled each other, both seeking to invade the other's mouth. Neris felt as if she were touching Loki for the first time, kissing him for the first time, but without the awkwardness that had been present originally.

In her mind she could hear three different voices. One she knew: the trees. The trees, wherever they were, sang to them. But the other two were different, one was fluid and abstract, like a whale call. The final one was strong, but mournful, cloaked in a distant echo. But beyond the three voices she could hear the Caela. Were they giving her their blessing? Or telling her not to forget them?

When they parted, both were winded. Loki then pressed her hand to his blue lips. Slowly, the color faded and he was pale once more, with green eyes holding her gaze. "Neris of Caelandis, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife and mate? And someday," he whispered sinisterly, "my queen?"

"Told you that I always believed you would become a king someday. I suppose the answer to that specific question is 'yes'. As to your other questions: perhaps I could give myself to you again. . . . Yes! I will marry you. I will become your mate, an everlasting mate and our light will always shine!" Neris had never felt so alive, or so free. Caelandis appeared in her mind and she saw herself leaping through the woods and flying over the waters, passing the cold mountain tops on her way to the heart of her world. They could make a new Caelandis, they could go home.


	12. Chapter 12

**This is the chapter with with the second steamy scene of the story. I marked the section with this - (M). If you do not want to read that part, just stop when you see the "M"**

**Review, please. Thank you for your continued support.**

Chapter 12

Odin drew himself between his wife, his eldest son, and Neris. He had made it exceedingly clear that he believed a marriage between Neris and Loki would do little to change Loki's desire for world domination. Neris said nothing, but listened patiently. Frigga was hopeful, eager to see her son happy once again. Thor was reluctant to believe Loki could change. They doubted him, sometimes she wondered if she doubted him too. But Loki was never that simple.

"He will not be free. You will have a wedded life in a prison. Do you accept that Neris?" Odin never spent much time conversing with Neris. He gathered his intel on her from his wife, so there was no need to interrogate her further. The only thing he ever he ever said to her was that she was no longer a prisoner. In the whole of her time in Asgard, that was all he ventured to say.

She nodded and this stated that she did accept it. In her heart, she knew it would not be the case. That life would not last forever. Loki always had a plan.

"None of us will be in attendance to your wedding. It will be small and unnoticed, something fitting to his punishment. Perhaps he will learn the errors of his ways, learn humility, and learn to be a husband. But your mission is not to rehabilitate, it is simply to exist." A tiny, almost unnoticeable smile appeared on his face.

"Existing is better than the fate I had known before Loki came into my life. I was nothing but an object, a creature so little that those who enslaved my people thought we were a mistake." Her eyes watered, but she stood proud. Had she said too much? She never revealed what happened to them while in Chitauri captivity, but how she truly wished she could.

If they knew what was out there, what was coming, they would give Loki everything he wanted. They would forgive him for trying to destroy the Jotunheim. Wouldn't they?

"Neris, what happened to you both? Where were you?" Asked Frigga, finally catching the girl. It was a constant struggle to get her to open herself up to the queen. When Odin beheld her with his single eye, Neris felt herself being compelled to explain herself.

"Loki is complicated. It is his nature, his definition. You understand this, you understand him, then you understand why I can never reveal where we were or what was done to get us here. Loki has and was always meant to be a king. Perhaps he will stay in the prison for all eternity, or perhaps he will rise from the ashes of his life and begin anew." Yes, that was it! The sum of her devotion to Loki. She didn't betray him.

Odin paced, his mighty staff, _Gungnir,_ struck the marble flooring as he did. "Your world was lost to these creatures, the Chitauri. They burned your world, processed it for fuel, mined it for ore and gases. They systematically executed your people. And I gather, based on what you are not saying, that never stopped. How many people have died because of you?"

Neris wept at his words, but she did not answer.

"Loki set out to execute genocide of an entire civilization. Had Thor not stopped him, that world would be lost and Loki would be nothing but a savage murderer, much like the Chitauri."

Her purple eyes burned with fire at his words. Loki was nothing like this Chitauri, they were a blot in the universe, he was the fading light of a weak fire yearning to burn bright. She held her tongue, a beating always came to those with loose tongues. She chided herself for such thoughts, but she could not snuff them out.

"Had Loki never tried," she replied bitterly, but with a great deal of control, "I would have never met him. I am not glad he did what he did." She paused a moment, hoping that her anger would not overpower her rationale. "My king, had Loki never tried to destroy Jotunheim, Thor would never have stopped him. Had Thor never stopped him, Loki would never have fallen. Then Loki would never fallen into the hands of the Chitauri. Had that never happened, he would have never met me. He would never had freed me. If we had never met, I would, if I was lucky, be dead. Before I met him, even after I met him, I welcomed death like a beloved friend. Death would have been like entering paradise for me. No one could hurt me if I was dead. Had Loki never saved me, my people would have no hope."

She watched as all three digested her words. "Without Loki I would be wiped out as if I had never existed. My family would be gone forever, my entire family, not just my parents. The Caela would never again be seen in the universe."

"You plan to save them?" asked Odin as he made his way to his throne with his family and Neris trailing behind him.

"Someday, yes, I hope too."

"You cannot free Loki," he stated.

"I never planned too." She was confident that Odin would see to it that Loki was liberated. She could wait.

Having gathered all of the information he was interested in for the time, Odin bid Neris a farewell. He informed her that the only witnesses to her wedding would be the guards and several palace servants observing on her behalf. Frigga then took Neris from the throne room to prepare herself.

"Do you think she can change him, father?" asked Thor. A shadow hung over his brow. He had once been hopeful that Loki could forsake his anger, now, he was not sure. He was unsure that a woman could help Loki change.

"No." Spoke Odin plainly. "But that is not her purpose. She calls him a light. Perhaps he can learn to see himself the way she sees him. But we cannot hope for much else from Loki."

Bitterly, Thor left. Would this woman bring change in Loki? Would she save him from the darkness? Was there anything worth saving?

Down the stairs and to the right, then straight ahead and they were there. Neris entered Loki's prison cell shining like a star. She beamed at him as she entered the room. His clothes were simple, but neat and pressed. Neris smiled to herself when she noticed he wore slippers. She felt humbled even as she stood draped in shimmering silver. Her clothes were nothing grand, but she felt lovely nonetheless.

Knowing he had an audience, Loki kept his feeling smothered deep within himself. He went to Neris and took her hands. The ceremony was like a distant buzzing in his ears. All he could focus on were the purple eyes of his love. Their lips touched with the closure of the ceremony and they were left alone. The shield around their prison was dimmed and with a little help from Loki, viewing from outside was completely blocked.

"This will only last while you remain, my wife." He gazed upon her with great tenderness. Fingers twirled themselves in her dark hair. "You're my wife. I never thought it something possible. Never wanted it. Is freedom with you, sweet Neris?"

She drew him to his bed and sat. "I never thought I would fall in love with one of my masters. I've pledged myself time again and again to you, my king. Please accept me."

"Of course, I do. Of course, Neris." Loki gazed upon her in confusion. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry for what I did in the tunnels. I couldn't let them think- I put you in danger, so I hurt you to protect you, and I am so sorry."

With a finger to his lips, she silenced him. "I know. I forgive you. Loki, I am asking if you accept me, all of me."

Neris let her gown fall from her shoulders and stood to allow the rest of the fabric to fall to the floor. Loki gazed upon her rosy body as if seeing it for the first time. His eyes devoured every curve and line. He became intoxicated by the sight of her flesh as it stretched down her neck, pulling tight at her collarbone, and descending into a cascade he yearned to touch. When his hands stretched out to her, she stopped him. Instead, she gently tugged away the folds of his own clothing. His slippers disappeared with the removal of his trousers. His naked form stood before her, but her eyes held onto his. She pressed her breasts to his sternum.

"Accept me," she whispered. Loki shuddered in ecstasy, but what did she mean? He let his eyes close. He could feel himself changing, his Jotun form was appearing. "Open your eyes."

When he obeyed, he found himself no longer in his prison cell. He was in a great tree, with its roots consuming a river below them. HIs breath hitched as Neris brought her nose along his neck, she was smelling him.

"Look up," she said with a husky breath. He did. "The frost sits upon the leaves. It can bring death to the living, but it can also bring the life back, and make it stronger. You've brought me back."

She brought herself down on him, encasing him inside. A light shone between them and Loki could hear a choir of voices. The river sang up to the frost and the frost down to the river. With them, the tree channeled the song, adding its own complicated melody. Loki felt elated, like he was being lifted. As he gazed upon his wife, he could see she felt the same. Then, it happened. Every cell in his body felt permeated with her. Her essence was his and his was hers. They were two halves made whole. He saw her, truly saw her, the life of her dead world. She was apart of it. Caelandis wasn't dead, it was in her. It was in all the Caela, it was in him. That was how the Chitauri had broken them, they separated their network. Now, Loki was apart of the network, a lost connection, binding it back together.

It ended and he was back in the cell. Sweat ran down his skin, his breath ran ragged, and he could see the same symptoms in Neris. An inner glow seemed to emanate from her.

"We've never made love like that," he said breathlessly.

A grin consumed her face. "It wasn't a physical connection, that is still coming, my love."

"What?" He kissed her jaw over and over again.

"Our souls have mated. The binding isn't forever, it is up to us to maintain it. Our souls made love, not our bodies. Loki, we have completed the most sacred of connections. I love you with everything that I am."

He stared at her, understanding her. She had seen into him, beyond his lies and plots, beyond his pain and anger. She knew his nature, his voice. It thrilled and frightened him to have her knowing, but he felt less alone. As he watched her he knew she would follow him wherever he went and not matter what he did, for she had seen all that he might do while he saw all that she would do. From a slave to a queen, she would weave an endless song with her life.

"Now, my husband." Her voice was silky. She wanted him as he had always wanted. She was no longer afraid; she no longer felt it was her duty as a slave to give her body to her master. She was giving it to her mate, _him._

**(M)** He gently pushed her onto her back and spread her legs. He set gentle kisses upon her stomach, causing her to arch. Climbing back from the esoteric experience, he felt playful and his need to bend her returned. "My turn."

With that he brought his lips between her quivering legs. He listened as she gasped, revelling in her swoons. Loki felt a sense of cruelty surge through him. With great control, he ran his tongue over her sensitive regions. He darted with skill back and forth over the moist flesh. Her hands tangled themselves in his black hair as she urge him on. Freedom. It was what he found in her, the freedom to lose himself to something other than madness and rage.

As he licked at her, he brought his fingers to her entrance, spreading her. He nipped at her entrance, taunting her. With precision she dare not ask about, his fingers found their way into the depths of her body. Her mind exploded and she could almost hear their song once again. Caught in the glow of his magic, she failed to notice that his mouth had worked up her body to her breasts. His fingers still probed her while he loved her breasts. His tongue worked over her once more while he suckled the erect flesh.

"Oh, Loki," her voice trembled. "I love you." She felt the flesh of his manhood caress her leg and yearned for it to come to rest inside of her. Neris felt the overwhelming need to bring their bodies together just as she had with their souls.

Loki was methodical with his movements. Each gesture, each action, each moan was as much for him as it was for her. He would give her what she had given him. When he finally entered her he wondered how he could have gone so long without her. He felt her anguish, desiring nothing more than to reach the top. As they worked together, moaning, and caressing, kissing and biting, he felt the end coming. With all his efforts he allowed the change to happen once more. With all his strength, he pushed into her. His blue, Jotun form shot into her with a jolting force. Her scream ripped through the air as he released himself inside her cradle.

"Neris of Caelandis," he said in the release. "I am Loki of Caelandis. We will free our people." His Asgardian form returned and he collapsed onto her. "Caelandis will rise again."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

War seemed to follow her everywhere, Neris could never get away. Asgardians seemed to love war and relished in their victories. With every visit she made to the prisons she would notice more and more inmates. After a month or two of the influx of prisoners, Neris had taken to shielding herself beneath a massive, weather beaten cloak. She hoped that is would offer her enough security that she would go relatively unnoticed. Her visits were becoming more restricted as time went on; the prison was becoming too dangerous to allow her such leisurely conjugal visits.

Her freedom to descend into the bowels of the realm was given by Frigga only because of the queen's compassion for her lost son. Every few days Neris was sent to Loki with a new book Frigga thought he would be interested in. He read occasionally when he felt bored of his mundane prison existence. Neris did her best to help when she was with him, but as time went on, she found him unable to function outside his own mind and he would not let her in. He would seethe in silence; every day his anger for Odin seemed to grow, his hatred consuming him.

The distant roar of his voice startled her as she was led to his cell. He was arguing with the queen again. It pained her that he could not understand that his mother still had so much faith in him. All the angry and betrayal he felt with Odin, he channeled into his relationship with Frigga. Neris waited in the darkness, she knew better than to interrupt mother and son. Her eyes surveyed the procession of new prisoners, her companions urged her further into the darkness so that she would not be seen.

Twenty minutes passed before she pressed on. The door to his cell opened with a hiss and she felt the heat of the cell's barrier prickle her arms. It was such an odd sensation, but it was one she was willing to endure since it meant she would be with Loki. He did not look at her when she entered, instead he sulked over to his bed and deposited himself into the folds of the sheets.

"Was it that bad?" Asked Neris as she approached him. She arrived carrying a bundle of assorted foods and an additional book, all of which she placed upon a small, round table. "I wish there was something I could do. Let me in, Loki."

"You bring another book. This is my life: wasting away, reading, waiting for your visits, thought of by no one. It would have been better if Odin had executed me." He stared at the ceiling.

Neris huffed indignantly. "Would it? Do you think so little of those who love you?"

He turned his head to face her. He always thought of her, but how could he say it? Neris was the one person he did not have to share with Thor, but how could he truly know it when he was trapped? Would she form a friendship with that dull minded brother of his? Never would he share her. He wanted her time, her mind, her body, her spirit, none of it could ever belong to Thor. But painfully, he realized there was nothing he could do but hope she remained loyal to him.

"Neris. . ." He whispered. Her face relaxed and she drew close to him. She ran her fingers down his face to his jaw and smiled.

"I must tell you something, Loki." Her face was glowing. "I am with child, ours."

Quickly, he sat up and threw open her cloak. He had noticed a mild change in her appearance. He lifted her dress and felt the lower regions of her belly. "How long?"

"Since the first mating," she replied. Their ritual of light and song, that was what she called their mating, an intimacy that went beyond the physical world. Together, they completed it only twice in total. It was a taxing affair that revealed Loki's entire heart to her, something he was now trying to avoid, he just couldn't let her in.

"I think it happened during our songs," she said with a delighted sigh. "Or just after," she added with a seductive grin. Their physical intimacy never wavered, it grew more exciting with each time, something Neris dreamed would be possible. She confident and comfortable with herself to embrace every urge. Once Loki truly accepted himself, she knew there would be no limit to what they could feel in each other's embrace.

Loki took a handful of her hair and pulled her to his lips. He pulled away her under garments and loved her body. She received him just as eagerly. He moaned his love into her ear, whispering his hunger for her. His hand inched to her jaw, taking hold of her chin. She flinched briefly, accustomed to his violent tendencies. Her eyes burned into his with a firm resolve that he would not control her in such a manner. He withdrew his hand, but then gripped her hip furiously as his need overpowered him.

"Oh, my Neris," he said as he pressed and squeezed her chest. "You are to bring my progeny into the universe. A prince to carry my name." He revelled in delight, knowing he was responsible for the creature growing inside of her. When he was spent, he leaned down and rested his head on her stomach. He caressed her as his mind wandered off.

"She was never my mother, I did not come from her." He said sadly. He was lost again, he found solace in despair. She shushed him. "My entire life was nothing but a lie and I was meant to die."

Neris would hear no more. "You were meant for something, you still are. When we restore Caelandis, you will be a king. We'll have a home. Asgard won't matter."

"Asgard will always matter," he replied heavily. He nuzzled her skin and embraced her hips. Holding her tightly, he feared she might just slip his grasp. Asgard was his home, a place he never belonged in, but always yearned too. It would always matter.

Neris gazed up at the white ceiling, taking in the sight Loki always beheld. She knew he wanted Asgard to suffer for his humiliation, but at the same time, he just wanted acceptance. Instead of trying to reason with him, Neris accepted his desires. She would remain faithful to him for all time, but she hoped his desires would not cost them their life together.

"Do you think our child will be blue, pink, or pale?" She asked suddenly.

From his position, Loki gazed up at her. His face furrowed in confusion. He indulged her at first by thinking about it, but then he wondered himself. "I have no idea, my sweet Neris. I suppose we'll have a strange, chameleon creature."

"Child," she corrected. "Your child is not a monster, and exhibit in an oddities collection. The babe is a product of our love."

Loki clung tighter his wife. He set kisses along her belly. She was right, he knew it. His child was destined for a throne far greater than Odin's. "Neris, we have a lot of work to do. I think I shall be free soon, I can feel it."


	14. Chapter 14

**Here is another short chapter. Please comment/review. I have skimmed through "Thor: The Dark World" but there will be more for Loki and Neris coming very soon! So stick around. :)**

Chapter 14

Rumor rippled through Asgard. Thor brought a mortal to the realm, but something was wrong with the girl. She was infected, they said, with the Aether, a powerful substance thought to have been lost. Neris knew what it was. Like the Tesseract, it held certain powers, combined with the other _infinity stones_ it could be the most destructive force in the entire universe.

Neris was forbidden to approach Jane, so she watched the girl at a distance. Jane was brilliant and witty, and bold enough to stand up to Odin. Neris liked her fearlessness, the rash impulse was a common trait among the Midgardians. It was a welcoming refreshment for Neris.

"Neris," came the queen's voice. Frigga took the Caela by the arm and led her away from Jane and Thor. "Go to Loki. The king demands that you remain as far from the Aether as possible. I'm sorry, but you are confined to the prison until it has been removed."

She opened her mouth to speak, but the queen would not let her. It was an order and Neris was to obey without question. So much for freedom. The guards surrounded her as she was whisked away to the prison and shoved into Loki's cell. Her husband stood when she arrived.

"Hmm. They let you come today. But he'll pay for that." He indicated to the door that disappeared once it was shut. "Why?"

To the point, he couldn't be happy to see her? But he didn't work like that, Neris knew better than to hope for such simplistic affection. "Thor's mortal girlfriend is here. She- she came into contact with something."

Loki led her to his bed and then knelt down on the floor before her. He waited while Neris revealed all that was occurring far above them. She was his little spy. Beyond the shadowed barrier, prisoners were still being placed in prisons. They shuffled around, ignoring the dimmed room housing Loki and his odd looking wife.

"How long will they keep you here?" he asked.

"Until they've found a way to extract it from her and hide it. But it won't be long, my husband. The Aether will kill her." Neris cast her eyes to the floor, past Loki. Her expression was solemn. She could not imagine being parted from Loki. . . knowing that she would never see him again. It was must be what was going through Thor's mind.

Loki clicked his tongue. "Get some rest. They dragged you down here like a common criminal knowing you carry a prince inside you!"

Neris positioned herself on the other side of the bed where she fell asleep thinking about the Aether that materialized in a human girl. Power, and that power was red. Was there a connection to the Caela and the Aether? It wasn't possible, it came from another world, another time. As her mind drifted off, she wondered what would happen to her if she did touch it. Nightmares plagued her, the universe was being engulfed by darkness all around. Yggdrasil, the Great Tree, cried out to her. It was dying from the Aether.

A series of loud booms woke her from the disturbing dreams. Lights flickered overhead. Neris felt the bed shift as Loki sat up and jumped off the mattress. She pulled herself up and watched as he inspected the source of the noise. The lights flicked again and dust fell from the ceiling. The shade over the barrier disappeared, they were exposed to the outside.

"Neris, get under the bed." Loki hissed through his clenched jaw. She attempted to protest. "Do it!"

Gathering her dress around her body, she did as he ordered and wriggled herself beneath the frame. She watched as Loki continued forward towards the barrier, watching as prisoners and the guards fought each other. It was then that Neris saw a great, red Caela run past. He smashed into several guards, killing them instantly. His teeth had been sharpened as he gazed around hungrily at the Asgardians. Fear and panic took hold of Neris' rationale. She shuddered and withdrew deeper into the shadow of the bed.

"Loki," she whimpered, "did you see him? They're here, how are they here?" Tears poured down her face. She hit the wall when she could back no further. Loki said nothing to her. Then they saw another creature.

She could not tell if he wore a mask or if it was his real face. White-blue eyes peered through the red and brackish second skin. He studied Loki while Loki did the same. Neris tried to keep as quiet as possible as she watched them. It was like being in the wild, two great males summing each other up. They calculated which was the fiercer of the two. Loki held his ground and his gaze. The creature was the first to flinch, his massive form turned from Loki, choosing to leave him locked inside the cell. Relishing his victory, Loki felt compelled to goad the monster further.

"You might want to take the stairs to the left." He was leading the creature into the palace. He wanted Odin dead even if he wasn't the one to do it.

"Loki," whimpered Neris from beneath the bed. Her fear was defeating her, she felt herself reverting back into her slave life. He made no move to comfort her.

"Stay under the bed. When the prison has been secured, you may come out." He said nothing to her for a long time after. It was as if she wasn't there, that was his plan, she supposed. He cared about her, despite what Thor's friends said. Loki was willing to die to protect her.

Several hours elapsed before someone came to retrieve her. She left Loki sitting in his arm chair, reading. He muttered a farewell, displaying an aloof interest in her. As she walked away, she saw another guard approach his cell. She could not hear what was said, but she watched as Loki put his book away and wandered to the back of his cell. She both saw and heard the wreckage that ensued.

"What happened?" She stopped to face the men with her. "What happened today?"

"The queen is dead."

Neris gasped and tried to pull away. Desperately, she wanted to return to Loki, but they caught a hold of her. She demanded to know how the queen died. Asgard had been infiltrated and then attacked from invaders, the dark elves had come for the mortal. They came for the Aether.

Quickly, Neris realized she had no status without the queen. She was left in Loki's childhood bedroom where she was told to remain until the king decided what he would do with her. She fell into despair knowing that she would waste away in the room before the king ever decided anything about her future. It was in Loki's old bedroom that she remained for two days. Food was delivered and then she was left to her solitude. From his balcony she watched the funeral of the queen and all the other Asgardians who had given their lives to this world. Neris felt small as the lights ascended into the heavens. She truly missed her people and her world. Their lives had taken such a wrong turn and now her only ally was gone. Neris wondered if she would ever see Loki again. Would they both be prisoners forever? Her hope of restoring Caelandis disappeared with the last Asgardian light. Two days later, she was summoned to Odin's throne room.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Asgard was quiet, solemn, empty. Each time her shoes struck the floor, Neris could hear the sound reverberate through the palace. There was no sense of victory. Despite having beaten the dark elves, no Asgardian celebrated. They were picking up the pieces of their lives, rebuilding their world. Nothing was the same after Frigga's death. Asgard seemed a place of bleakness and sorrow. They were vulnerable, they were attacked on their land. It was an insult to them.

Neris was abandoned on her path to the throne room several halls behind. The guards said nothing to her, they never did. She was painfully aware that she was so alien to these people. Her mind drifted back to a conversation between herself and the queen. Frigga had asked her if she wanted to change the color of her skin to look Asgardian. The notion disgusted Neris, but she politely declined. Now that the option was no longer available, Neris found herself wishing she had taken the offer, then she wouldn't feel so lonely.

The throne room stretched out before her and at the end she could see Odin slouched upon his throne. He never slouched, but she let go, he had just lost his wife. It felt like days walking to him. Like always, her mind drifted to Loki down below in the prison. She hoped against hope that Odin was permitting her to visit Loki again, or freeing him. A life without restrictions, accompanied by Loki, there was nothing greater that she could hope for. Once Odin pardoned Loki, then they could plan to free the Caela, and Loki could be king.

Her journey stopped at the base of the golden throne. She bowed to the king and then stood tall before him. It was unnerving to be alone with him. His only eye bore into her and she momentarily wondered how far she could run from him.

"Lady Neris, do you know why you have been summoned here?" He asked. He stood and inched away from his seat.

Of course she didn't! No one told her anything. Her eyes searched him, trying to pry the answer from his posture, his clothes, anything. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary but Odin appeared a bit different. She shrugged it off as a man in grief.

"Your husband. . . my son. . . Loki is dead."

Perhaps she had not heard him correctly. Neris asked him to repeat what he said, she was so sure she had heard him wrong. He repeated his words exactly. No. No. No. This wasn't right! He was in the prison, locked up and he was alive when she left him. Killed, said Odin, when he helped Thor defeated the dark elves. It was a different Loki, it had to be. Her Loki was locked up and too angry with Thor to help him.

Her knees gave out and she found herself on the floor, her hot tears were rolling down her face. Her pink hands went to her abdomen, holding as if she were comforting the child growing inside. "This can't be true. Please, tell me this is a lie, a punishment?"

Odin gave her no comfort. His eye merely shifted and flickered over her. The entirety of her world seemed to collapse around her. Loki had died a hero, but he had left her. The child inside would never know the wonderful man that created him.

"Your child is not of Asgardian blood, but I will raise the child as if he were. Lady Neris, since you have no position here, I will grant you this: become my personal servant and your child will live like a prince." His eye shifted again.

Neris attempted to sort through his request. He was offering the chance for her to become a slave once more. It was outlawed in Asgard, but a personal servant was the same thing. "If I decline?"

Odin returned to his seat and sat with a leisurely slouch. "Your child's father was meant to die alone, abandoned. I saved Loki from that fate. If you refuse my offer, your child will meet that fate instead."

"Monster!" She screamed, she could not stop herself. If these were her choices, then death was the best option for her and her unborn child. She could not be a slave again to ruthless tyrants or allow her son to grow up believing that Odin was his father. She certainly could not leave Loki's child out in the cold to die.

"I have nothing," she continued, "to live for. My love is dead and you offer enslavement for me or death for my child. End my life now. My child will not feel it and you can make it quick for us. Let me go to Loki."

His unnerving eye flickered at her. "You love the true monster, a murderer, the liar. You chose death for your child rather than a rich life for him? All you must do is give your life to me and your child shall never want for anything. An heir! Accept it, Neris."

Rage surged through her. "How easily you forget about your wife." She regretted her words. Frigga was wonderful, she never meant to smear her image, but she would not be abused.

"And yet you have such little faith in your husband," he spat.

What did he mean. Neris backed away from him. She feared him and the fire that burned behind his eye. "Do you. . . do you mean that Loki lives?"

Odin raise his staff and struck the ground. A green light surrounded him and then he was gone. Sitting in a fuming stance was Loki. He had taken offense to her words. But she had not betrayed him! She trembled.

"You are not as sweet as you once were, but you aren't as weak either. Take my offer, Neris."

She was too stunned to respond. Why did he tell her he was dead only to tell her he wasn't? He wasn't predictable, he changed himself on a whim. "Do you enjoy tormenting me? Am I to become Odin's whore?"

Loki chuckled. "I do as I please. It pleases me to see how you will react at times. You chose death over the options I gave you. Your loyalty shall be rewarded. Being Odin's personal servant will grant you a great deal of freedom. How you are viewed by the Asgardians is entirely up to you. They will follow the orders of their king."

He was giving his child a throne, Thor's throne. No one would question his decision. When Loki seemingly gave his life for Thor, he redeemed himself, the Asgardians had forgiven him. Posing as Odin had given Loki the ability to pardon himself publicly. This would cushion her position in Asgard, but she knew she would be shunned regardless.

"Alright, husband." She gazed at the floor. "I accept. What is your plan? And what did you do to Odin."

Loki grinned wickedly at her. "Killed him." His smile widened. "He was ready to go. Neris, it is amazing the opportunities life presents us with if we but just take them." He descended the steps towards her and took her hand into his.

"I have a gift for you," continued Loki. "The prison has been taken again and most of the prisoners returned to their cells." He turned her so that her back pressed against his chest. His arms snaked around her and his hands came to rest on her growing belly. Pressing his chin to the crook of her neck, he spoke once more. "The red Caela sits in chains, waiting for you. Do you want to know how he got here? My darling wife, you are now Odin's servant and soon you will be a queen. Do as you like."

His laughter haunted her and she wondered if he had lost his mind. But her adventures with Loki were far from over. No, they were just beginning.

**It will be a few days before the next update. Be patient while I work out the rest of the story. I hope you are enjoying it so far. Is there something you didn't like? Is there something you would like to see? Check back on Wednesday for the next chapter. Thank you!**


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